Kitchen & Bath Design News

JAN 2018

Kitchen & Bath Design News is the industry's leading business, design and product resource for the kitchen and bath trade.

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LAUNDRY ROOM/PANTRY/MUDROOM GETS ENHANCED FUNCTIONALITY Sandra Brannock not only tackled functional issues with the kitchen, but also transformed the former laundry space into a new multi-purpose room. It still houses the washer and dryer, but the designer enhanced its functionally by adding 'pantry' and 'mudroom' to its list of job duties. Because the new space is visible from the kitchen, the designer incorporated many of the same aes- thetic elements to tie the spaces together, including a decorative reclaimed beam that links the Thermador 18" freezer with symmetrical 18" pantries to either side, the latter of which Brannock equipped with pull-out drawers for abundant storage. Additional repeat elements include Antique Oak floating shelves/bench seat; ledgestone in the same earth tones as the kitchen and Great Room; twin copper sconces; and white Brubaker Kitchens cabinetry, which includes a broom closet. "The trio of pantries and freezer create another focal point that is visible from the kitchen," says Brannock. "My client wanted her new kitchen to look beautiful from all vantage points, and this grouping accomplishes that goal for guests who can see this room when they are sitting or standing at the island." The homeowner also wanted to include ledgestone into her kitchen backsplash, ini- tially falling in love with a collection of light colored stones. "Aesthetically, there are a lot of textures, finishes and colors in the kitchen, so we needed to proceed carefully so as to not lose sight of the 'whole,'" says Brannock, also adding that a multi-colored, earthy collection of ledgestone sheaths the fireplace in the adjacent Great Room. "I convinced her to stick with the same – or, at a minimum, a monochro- matic color that would pull a single tone from the fireplace – in order to integrate the space successfully. She was hesitant but acquiesced and, in the end, she agreed this was the right way to go." To make a more dramatic statement, Brannock faced the ventilation hood with the ledgestone and extended it along the entire length of the wall. Her client's request for an industrial ele- ment is fulfilled by the steel beams that visually, at ceiling height, delineate the kitchen from the eat-in breakfast area and Great Room. The beams also provide support that was needed when Brannock removed a post between the original kitchen and Great Room, as well as shortened the wall between the kitchen and breakfast area. IMPROVED FUNCTIONALITY While aesthetics were important to Brannock's clients, improving the new kitchen's function was also paramount, especially as it related to her kitchen sink, which was previously under- neath a window in her laundry room directly behind the kitchen. "If my client was cooking and needed to visit the sink, or vice versa, she would have to cross the room!" she says. Brannock addressed that issue by incorpo- rating her new sink – a Signature Hardware farmhouse sink accented with a Signature Hardware faucet – in the island, directly across from the 48" GE Monogram cooktop. "Her husband used to be a chef, so it was important that he have a 'proper' cooking appliance," she says, adding that additional appliances include a 36" GE Monogram refrig- erator, a GE 15" built-in Gourmet Clear Nugget ice maker and a GE Monogram wall oven with Advantium Technology. "Initially she wanted a 48" built-in refrig- erator/freezer, but we just didn't have enough space for it," explains Brannock, noting that her clients wanted a numb er of appliances that chal- lenged the footprint of the kitchen. "Instead, we included the single refrigerator in the kitchen and added a single freezer, with water dispenser, in the laundry/mudroom/pantry. They cook more with fresh foods, so the freezer access Bold design decisions gave Sandra Brannock's clients a new white kitchen that is incorporates a number of distinctive elements. Photos: June Stanich Photography 60 Kitchen & Bath Design News • January 2018 PROJECT CASE STUDY SPOTLIGHT ON CREATIVE, PROBLEM-SOLVING KITCHENS AND BATHS Continued

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