GOLD AWARD
Architectural Building Arts, Inc., Madison, Wis.
Project location: Madison, Wis.
Sq. ft. before: 154
Sq. ft. after: 154
Project cost: $68,696

To create a kitchen that is highly functional, has ample storage, allows for groups of friends to gather while still functioning with two cooks was the goal of this kitchen remodel. This needed to be accomplished while fitting in with the combined Asian, and Arts & Crafts look that the clients had achieved in the other areas of their 1960s split level ranch home.

The problem with this project was creating a design that resolved the space constraints of this kitchen while creating a sociable environment; and that the design made these high-aesthetic clients feel comfortable that their kitchen fit the look of the rest of their home.

Lighting needed to be accomplished without recess cans due to the flat insulated roof above the space, and the homeowners wanted to keep electrical outlets from view to maintain a clean look.

The new kitchen layout is clean and efficient with cabinets along two walls and an island with a raised bar in the center of the room. The existing 6-ft. sliding door spans the majority of one wall, bringing in ample natural light and creating a wonderful focal point when standing at the island sink.

While texture, color and repetition were the driving design elements for the kitchen, the influences of Charles Renee Macintosh and Asian architecture are what give the kitchen its form. For example, a classic Macintosh motif is the repetition of three squares typically laid out in three evenly spaced rows. As a main focal point this motif can be found in the tile layout behind the range. It is then repeated in the supports for the raised bar at the island. As an easy way to create interesting detail, a variation of sheen was used. The 6-in. squares have a lacquered finish making them stand out from the eggshell sheen of the main body.