By: Carolyn Kemmett
Former professional cooks revel in beautiful working kitchen
The extra-thick island top is so resilient “you could dance on it,” quips architect/designer Amy Conner-Murphy. But the chosen material is actually intended to absorb wines, spices, and other hot commodities. It’s a tasty complement to the soft, sleek, earth-toned cabinetry by International Cabinetry of Hendersonville.
Photo by Ryan Theede
Kitchens, perhaps more than any other spaces in the home, must blend supreme functionality with the owners’ stylistic dreams if they’re to be considered true design triumphs. Amy Conner-Murphy, AIA, was committed to achieving that balance for a couple in The Ramble. Architect, designer, and founder of ACM Design, Conner-Murphy knew early on that the space must hold equal weight for cooking and entertaining. After all, the couple had been restaurateurs, owning a number of family eateries before relocating.
“These clients happened to live in Johnson City, Tennessee, before moving to Asheville,” says Conner-Murphy. “I grew up in the Tri-Cities area, so we shared a special connection, hitting it off right away.
“I did some deep listening,” she adds, “and understood I needed to honor the couple’s unique sensibilities. They’re serious about cooking.”
The answer to her signature kitchen question — “what do you make [here] — meals or reservations?” was obvious. The couple wanted to continue their craft. But they also wanted to entertain in the main kitchen space, so they opted to create a butler’s pantry that serves as a working space with more “back of house” utilitarian features. It also hides a cooking mess exquisitely.
Aesthetically, the public part of the kitchen had to align with the rest of the home. “The overall vibe of the house is calm and collected, with deep blues and soft creams and browns as the primary palette — rich, restful, and calm,” notes Conner-Murphy, whose firm did the architecture and design for the entire residence.
These serious cooks have a serious art collection, too, numbering a large collection of Tarkay oil paintings as well as bronze sculpture and etchings and line drawings from the Masters. Conner-Murphy further defines the kitchen as “luxe, but with a masculine effect.” The space is moody and luxurious, with pantry cabinetry painted the color of blue-infused gunmetal, and, in the main space, a multipurpose island with a thick, striking quartzite top that Conner-Murphy asserts is indestructible: “You could dance on it, and it would hold up like crazy.” But the material’s hardiness was selected to survive the acids of “tomatoes, spices, red wine, and more” — not pounding feet.
Photo by Ryan Theede
“But it’s beautiful, too. There’s no reason why [beauty and durability] can’t coexist.”
The island base houses cabinets that contain those spices, along with less-frequently-used items. Another slick design move: Under the overhang, where four breakfast bar stools sit, a recessed electrical raceway allows the owners and guests to charge devices and conceals the visually disagreeable cords. “An entertaining kitchen then becomes a working kitchen [too],” states Conner-Murphy.
The light-toned cabinetry was created by Joe Martin of International Cabinetry in Hendersonville. “This linear grained rift white oak, stained in the earthy color with the white [counter]tops, gives a very soft and comfortable feel,” says Martin. Appliances are covered with the same material, and the layout also supports efficiency. “We put half a refrigerator on each side of spaces for storage and display,” notes Conner-Murphy, and Martin elaborates, “It’s always fun to create something a little out of the ordinary like we did with the in-swing center doors on the refrigerator wall, which lay flat inside the opening and create a passage to the butler’s pantry.” He also mentions the blue-toned mini bar, just off the kitchen, “that goes nicely with this color combination” — a stately niche that features a round mullioned window.
Conner-Murphy prioritized highlighting small pieces from the couple’s prized art collection, as well as books and other special objects, with beautiful built-ins accented by subtle gallery lighting. A wide-plank walnut floor offers some contrast to the lighter wood tone of the cabinetry. The beams complement the floor and cabinetry as well, making for an appealing textural gradation that, as Conner-Murphy describes it, feels cozy but elevated.
The kitchen proper is bathed in natural light, thanks to an upper wall of traditional casement windows which complements the layered lighting of Conner-Murphy design. The strategically placed sink allows the owners to look out over a little garden space outside.
“All the moldings around the windows are custom-made,” notes Conner-Murphy. “The rich texture and depth still reads ‘clean’ and highlights the windows without overpowering them.”
ACM Design, 103 Underwood Road Suite F, Fletcher, 828-684-9884, acmdesign.net.
Resources
Architect/Interior Designer: Amy Conner-Murphy (Asheville)
Builder: Bluestone Construction (Asheville)
Project Manager: Nate Monroe (Bluestone)
Custom Cabinetry: Joe Martin of International Cabinetry (Hendersonville)
Custom Steelwork (hood range): Screaming Hot Iron (Fletcher)
Countertops: Mountain Marble (Asheville)