Challenged with redoing a house that had been speculatively designed and never occupied, architect Scott Huebner, AIA, with Brickstack Architects, notes that the home’s interior “really lacked the soul and character that only an involved homeowner can contribute.”
Together with the owner, plus cabinetry designer Gene Hawkins and interior designer Christy Dunlap, both of Heritage Kitchens, Huebner renovated the kitchen from a dark and clunky “before” situation into a sunny showplace. The house’s spectacular view had been largely hidden. So “we increased the glazing [framed windows] on the view side by 150 percent, and also added a screened porch off of the breakfast area, which expanded the footprint of the kitchen dramatically,” says Huebner.
It wasn’t just the number of windows the architect increased, though, but also the height, which availed “greater advantage of the natural light.”
Dunlap notes the beauty of the improved view, but adds: “The kitchen is a workspace, first and foremost, so when you have so much wall space dedicated to windows, you lose valuable storage. We collaborated with Scott to add lots of tall cabinet storage to the left of the windows, since we had plenty of countertop available.”
Gene Hawkins crafted a magnificently subtle set of cabinetry and a companion island, both of espresso-stained knotty alder. “Often times,” says Dunlap, “minimalism and contemporary tend to lean cold and industrial, invoking the aura of ‘city life’ versus ‘mountain living.’” However, by combining the rustic wood with the minimalist styling of slab doors and drawers, “we were able to create a warm, unique, ‘mountain-minimalist’ look that’s appropriate for our neck of the woods,” she explains.
Woven bar stools complement the owner’s breakfast table, a fun piece graven with thoughtful monkeys and optimistic toucans. But these touches of tropical whimsy are second to the mountain majesty that builds outward from the newly refined kitchen.
“The kitchen is now an integral part of the heavy, timber-framed great room that is directly adjacent,” says architect Huebner, who also reconfigured that important space. “Together with the renovations to the great room, the kitchen now feels much larger and more inviting.”
RESOURCES
Architect: Brickstack Architects *
Custom Cabinetry and Kitchen Design: Heritage Kitchens *
Fixtures and Hardware: Bella Hardware & Bath *
Countertops: Fabricated by Heritage Kitchens, * sourced from Walker Zanger
Appliances: Haywood Appliance