Kitchen Innovator Winners
Our IDA winners have been announced! Discover who our judges picked for best in Kitchen!
Tall Order (left) Along the sink wall, ceiling-high glass-front cabinets elongate the room’s vertical lines. Countertops and backsplash are Afyon Sugar Select through Paul’s Marble. Faucets are Lefroy Brooks. Barstools are from Design Within Reach. Light as a Feather (above right) Seeming to float in the air, stainless-steel shelves flank the Wolf range. Hidden Charms (below right) A narrow cabinet next to the desk space hides a corkboard. A Saarinen-inspired kitchen table by Julian Chichester boasts a polished nickel base. photographs by willie cole
Winner
Time-honored elements are overlaid with a fresh, crisp design
Approached by a childhood friend for a total kitchen redesign, Katherine Hodge of Sage Design was thrilled to discover that the homeowners had very strong opinions and shared an aesthetic similar to her own. A clean-lined design would complement their classic Greenfield Hill Colonial while taking the whole house in the more contemporary direction that they desired. “They were willing to take chances and move beyond the typical Connecticut aesthetic,” says Hodge. “A big challenge was finding the right balance in details and materials so that it would feel warm and comfortable, yet serene.”
Along the sink wall, glass-front cabinets with dark painted backs go up to the ceiling, elongating vertical lines and making the ceilings seem higher. Flanking the stove, open stainless-steel shelves seem to float in the air against an Afyon Sugar Select stone backsplash. An expansive island provides plenty of food-prep space for this family that loves to cook together and gather in the kitchen. The sleek look is carried into a desk space with a white back-painted glass counter and built-in shelves, which “looks very cool and buttoned-up,” notes Hodge. “I strive for a kitchen that feels warm but has clean lines.” Storage, one of the homeowners’ top priorities, is provided in a roomy pantry, reminiscent of a general store, located beside the refrigerator. Gray oak floors with a matte patina provide continuity with the home’s restful color palette and complement the powerful simplicity of this design.
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Great Grains (left) Sapele wood is used on the island and formed in gentle waves on the Sub-Zero refrigerator to warm the contemporary space. Detail Oriented (above right) Playful handle groupings add whimsy to drawers and cabinets on the long, slim island topped in Caesarstone. Rough-cut stone brick adds texture around the two-sided fireplace. Chic cable lights illuminate the kitchen. Delicate Touch (bottom right) The homeowner’s Thai screen was attached to Sapele panels and hung on stainless steel rollers to conceal a niche for small appliances. photographs by jane beiles
Innovator 2
Finding center by turning an awkward space into a welcoming oasis
Taming an asymmetrical space was the primary challenge in this contemporary Weston kitchen. Rather than centering the range, hood and its ductwork on an off-center, 14-foot wall, designer Burke Cheney of Deane, Inc. aligned them under the gable. Cheney was then faced with an asymmetrical arrangement of forms. “Accentuating the refrigeration block with a wood finish and pulling it forward four inches served to balance the gable-centric range,” Cheney explains. A slim island bookended by striped Sapele wood columns accommodates the sink, dishwasher, eating space and storage. “The columns grow up through the island and become pedestals,” notes Cheney. A black walnut serving
bar is cantilevered off one column. Sapele is also used for the island base and is formed into gentle waves around the refrigerator to soften the forms.
An appliance cabinet is hidden by the innovative use of the homeowners’ Thai screen mounted to Sapele panels. A shelf above the appliance cabinet wraps around the wall over the hood. “This elongates the kitchen and helps with the asymmetry by pulling things laterally,” says Cheney. The end result is a kitchen that’s contemporary, but not cold. “The warmth of the Sapele wood is a key element,” says Cheney. “And the Thai screen adds amusement.”
Want to see more winners from the Innovation in Design Awards? Click on a category below to view each winner:
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architecture
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Kitchen Cachet White cabinets are through Hemingway Custom Cabinetry. A Vassaro chandelier from Gregorius Pineo hangs above the breakfast table. Kitchen chairs are through Lillian August. Island Life (above, left) A Dornbracht Tara faucet complements the island’s Cambrian black leather finish. Private Corner (above, right) Phillip Jeffries grasscloth surrounds a window seat covered in Holly Hunt leather. Croc pillows are
through Dovecote. photographs by kim washam
Innovator 3
Innovative use of materials contribute to an open yet intimate kitchen
“Cozy with a modern twist—dark and sexy” was the directive for the renovation of this Cos Cob kitchen, according to architect Gregory McGuire. Replacing a sheetrock ceiling with stained pine and dropped beams creates an open yet intimate space for the homeowners, who have a passion for cooking and entertaining.
Stone counters have a Cambrian black leather finish. “It’s almost indestructible,” notes McGuire. On the custom island, this material is mitered on each side and continues down to the floor, which has a dark ebony Jacobean stain with a high-gloss finish.
The space is lit by Holly Hunt pendants over the island; Teka lights on a cable system through the beams that shine onto work areas; and an antique-glass light fixture over the breakfast table. Seating areas include bar stools, a breakfast table and an inviting window seat. From the breakfast table, the eye is drawn in a straight line into the living room and a view of the new stone fireplace.
Want to see more winners from the Innovation in Design Awards? Click on a category below to view each winner:
bath
architecture
landscape
interior design
