Kitchen & Bath Design News

AUG 2015

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August 2015 | KitchenBathDesign.com | 41 MATERIALS USED: antique, reclaimed barn wood (perimeter); New Venetian Gold granite (island) DESIRED LOOK: These clients were looking for a farmhouse-style kitchen that felt like it had always been there, but had been well maintained through the years. ACHIEVING THE LOOK: The reclaimed beech holds a bit of nostalgia for the homeowners since it came from her family's farm in Lexington, KY. Boards were milled and large holes were flled with sawdust and super glue – "to make them look more natural." To remove some of the extremes in the grain variation, Smith lightly stained the boards, then treated them with Waterlox to provide a protective fnish and showcase the wood's character. In addition to the kitchen countertops, the reclaimed barn wood was also used on a step-up bar in another part of the home. For the island, Smith contrasted the antique wood with New Venetian Gold granite, which ofers a consistent pattern with gentle color tones and amber, white and black fecks. "The granite also makes for a great coun- tertop solution for the sink area." A river wash fnish gives it a matte ap- pearance while retaining the stone's clarity, Smith explains. MOST CREATIVE ASPECT: To comple- ment the antique wood countertop, the designer used barn wood on the island base, encasing it on three sides with exterior boards that show- case the structure's original peeling red paint. COUNTERTOPS' ROLE IN A KITCHEN: "When I design a kitchen, I break it down into materia ls and ele- ments, such as wood, stone, metal, etc. Countertops are a big piece of the puzzle, and they are a big piece of a particular type of material in a kitchen. A lot of times, the type of design dictates the type of mate- rial. Right now I am doing a lot of transitional and modern kitchens where I am using more man-made materials such as quartz. It ofers a quiet palette and it lends a mod- ern fair to a kitchen. A lot of times, very traditional kitchens will ask for a traditional stone, such as marble or soapstone…something that is natu- ral and timeless. Every countertop material has its place and genre, and you can mix genres as well, such as using an antique wood top on the island of a modern kitchen for a con- trast of old with new." TRENDING MATERIALS: Granite and marble still reign supreme in Smith's area, but quartz is becoming more prevalent. Wood, including antique wood, and stainless steel are also more frequently requested. MOST UNUSUAL COUNTERTOP MATERIAL USED: "The most unusual material I've used is probably the an- tique wood, which is among some of the newer favors we've dabbled in. We're also doing a lot of interesting things with stone, such as double stacking it where we take a standard 3cm stone and stack it on top of another 3cm stone. It gives the illusion of the countertop being 6cm thick. This technique is espe- cially striking with something like white Calcutta marble. Double stacking gives it a chunky look that gives the countertop prominence in the kitchen." DESIGNER: Mike Smith, CKD, Artistic Kitchens, Louisville, KY Photo: Kate Distasio

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