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24 | Kitchen & Bath Design News | February 2015 Creative Countertop Designs MATERIALS USED: honed Duval limestone (perim- eter); hammered zinc (island); painted wood (hutch) DESIRED LOOK: These clients love all things French… especially French Country, which is more casual and less ornate, says Larson. "They vacation quite a bit in France and she teaches college French. They wanted their kitchen to look like it came directly from that country. They also wanted it to look like it has been around forever, all while still being functional." ACHIEVING THE LOOK: Choosing materials with matte fnishes gives the kitchen its aged feeling. Honed limestone blends with the hutch's wood countertop that has been painted to match. Ham- mered zinc on the island complements the zinc sink, bronze faucet, bronze sleeved supply/waste pipes and fumed oak cabinetry with a distressed fnish. "Zinc is a material that has been used in countertops for years. It was a 'no-brainer' for this island, giving it a very historic look. It is a 'live' material, though, and isn't for everyone. But this client wanted something that looked old from day one, so it was a good choice for her. It's okay with her if it changes over time." MOST CREATIVE ASPECT: Using three different countertop materials can create chaos, so choos- ing the right combination becomes important. "It can be challenging to keep a kitchen with a lot of diferent countertop materials from becoming too busy, too contrived. To calm the kitchen, we used materials with three monochromatic colors that all blend together." COUNTERTOPS' ROLE IN THE KITCHEN: "Countertops can be a tricky element. People often want them to make a statement; they want them to be unique, but also functional. People love honed stones such as marble and limestone, but they need mainte- nance over time. Quartz is more durable, but some people don't want that look, so they have to weigh one against the other. We walk our clients through that process, helping them to fgure out what's most important." TRENDING COUNTERTOP MATERIALS: wood. "We've seen an upsurge in wood. There are a lot of interest- ing species and stains that provide about any tone you want. There are also materials that can be used on wood to make it very durable. We're also seeing a big upsurge in leathered and antiqued stones, which ofer texture. People tend to be leaning away from the shiny, polished stones." MOST UNIQUE COUNTERTOP MATERIAL USED: famed copper. "We used to have a famed copper countertop on display in the showroom. It had some very unusual colorations, ranging from bright or- anges to blues. It was very stunning and lent itself to an Old World feel." MATERIALS USED: Carioca Gold granite (perimeter); Raw Silk granite (island); Del-Ray glass (peninsula) DESIRED LOOK: This renovation included a reconfg- uration of the entire back of the house that consisted of removing a wall between the kitchen and din- ing room and making a large powder room smaller to create space for a mud area and walk-in pantry. "They wanted it to be open so they could better con- nect with their children, but they still wanted some defnition of the spaces. We located the kitchen in the middle to accomplish that and defned the spaces by using diferent countertop materials." ACHIEVING THE LOOK: Carioca Gold granite that tops the perimeter cabinets is very business-like… "it's the small tweed on an outft." The island features Raw Silk granite…"it's the star. We looked for two granites that would work together to create a focal point, supported by a distinguished work area." Glass on the raised, L-shaped peninsula serves as a defning point to separate the kitchen from the mudroom/pantry area…without being a solid bar- ricade. Held up by custom stainless steel brackets, the transparent countertop seemingly foats atop its support wall, while its L-shaped curve directs trafc into the kitchen and creates space for one more stool. MOST CREATIVE ASPECT: The lines and shapes of the countertops are very functional and enhance the way the clients want to live in their space. For example, the island is asymmetrical, wider at one end than the other to help direct trafc into the dining room as well as give a little breathing room for the refrigerator when the door is open. The Raw Silk granite is linear, with Fisher turn- ing it in a direction that 'leads' to the dining room. "Its light and medium tones also give it a delicate feel- ing, which played to the transparency and lightweight feeling the homeowners wanted for the island. We wanted it to have a special feeling of lightness, rather than being a heavy block in the kitchen. And, as far as the stone selection, they didn't want something that said, 'look at me!' Their lives were already busy enough! The stone choices for the countertop as well as the glass all underscore how they want to live within the space, all done with elegance, beauty and a classic palette so they can always enjoy it." COUNTERTOPS' ROLE IN THE KITCHEN: "Counter- tops are a unifying factor in the palette of a kitchen. They help set the theme, either connecting well with other elements, or standing out as a contrast. Each space is diferent, determined by the goals of a particular project." TRENDING COUNTERTOP MATERIALS: honed, leath- er and antique fnishes. "I'm seeing my clients move toward fnishes that have a softer appearance, such as materials with honed, leather or antiqued fnishes. They play well with others, rather than them having to be the star. They are a great choice for people who want to live comfortably in their spaces." MOST UNUSUAL COUNTERTOP MATERIAL USED: Jarrah wood. "I had a client who brought back a slab of Jarrah wood from a tour of duty in Australia. They wanted to build their kitchen design around it, so I found a place where it could be front and center. It was a little too wide for a countertop, so I trimmed of one edge and turned it toward the backsplash. I left the leading edge 'live' to capture the organic quality of the wood and maintain its character. It's something they can now enjoy in their everyday life." Photo: © Eric Taylor, www.EricTaylorPhoto.com DESIGNER: Debbie Larson, designer, Past Basket Design, Geneva, IL DESIGNER: Peggy Fisher, designer, Fisher Group, LLC, Annandale, VA