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March 19, 2010

Big Ideas

It was the classic quandary: how to give a modestly sized kitchen the wow-factor and workability enjoyed by many of its larger counterparts. For designer Christina Villalonga of Marc-Michaels Interiors, the solution was clear: Capitalize on the room’s natural strengths and use distinctive design elements to transform its shortcomings into helpful, high-style features.

The kitchen — part of Boca Raton’s exclusive Azura community — features broad windows overlooking a private patio and a lushly landscaped lake. Natural light and enticing views flood the room, expanding its visual space. The same windows, however, consume wall space that could otherwise be used for storage-rich cabinetry. Add the rectangular-shaped room’s modest dimensions, and the challenge became clear. Here’s how Villalonga resolved this kitchen design issue.

This Boca Raton kitchen features a unique mix of treatments that make the most of its dimensions and design features. Sherwin Williams’ Hearts of Palm paint color gives the kitchen a young, tropical vibe perfectly suited for the home’s lush Florida setting. Abundant natural light, white trim and dark java cabinetry temper the vivid wall color.

Seeded-glass cabinet door fronts break up the plane of dark wood cabinetry, DRAWING THE EYE UPWARD and providing a softened view of the displayed items. Interior lighting accentuates the showcased objects.

A custom 29-inch-high dining table connects to the kitchen’s 36-inch-high island, CONSUMING MUCH LESS FLOOR SPACE THAN A FREESTANDING TABLE. The table comfortably seats five without blocking the traffic flow from adjoining rooms to the back patio. The table’s handsomely carved, white-painted legs and dark-stained wood top give it the look of a unique furniture piece while aesthetically linking it to the adjoining island. Woven Palecek chairs foster the room’s hip, tropical style.

Villalonga integrated the large, practical farmhouse sink into the kitchen island, surrounding it with abundant countertop workspace. The placement also enables those working at the sink to face and converse with others in the kitchen, as well as enjoy the room’s views.

Clean-lined carvings, legs and a white-painted finish combine to create the island's furniture-like appearance.  The light-toned finish disguises the island’s size and bulk.

Centered on the back wall, the large, cast-stone range hood serves as the room's primary focal point while complementing the home’s limestone floors and Mediterranean architecture. “The hood introduces an element of surprise and architectural reference to the otherwise clean-lined space,” says Villalonga.

Cabinetry runs flush to the ceiling, providing maximum storage space while accentuating the room’s ceiling height. Crown molding exaggerates the effect. The dark java finish helps establish the tropical-toned décor and anchors the light-filled room with its visual weight.  Integrated appliances hide behind paneled door fronts, preventing stainless-steel door fronts from cluttering the wall’s plane of dark cabinetry.

Fabric drapery panels add softness to the hard-surfaced room while introducing a touch of color and pattern. The panels decoratively frame rather than cover the windows, allowing space-making light to flood the space. “My intent is not to hide the window but, rather, to showcase it,” says Villalonga.

Limestone floor tiles run in a simple straight-lined grid rather than a busier diagonal pattern. The ceiling’s solid green inset and shaded hanging light fixture add uncluttered pizzazz to the overhead surface.

Tricks of the Trade

When designing a smaller kitchen, designer Christina Villalonga recommends:

1.  Show some leg. Skirted chairs and bulky tables block light and consume visual space. Even feet or legs on islands and cabinet bottoms can help a room appear less weighty.

2.  Don’t overdress windows. Keep treatments spare and avoid blocking space-making light. Regardless of the window height, hang draperies high on the wall to visually lengthen the surface.

3.  Install crown moldings. Decoratively bridging the walls and ceiling, moldings give the illusion of increased ceiling height.

4.  Edit your material palette. Too many materials make the room appear busy and crowded. Fewer materials with simple or no patterns help to keep a space orderly and open-looking. To create interest with minimal materials, feature the same element in different ways. For example, Villalonga reintroduced the countertop’s Verde Laguna granite in a herringbone-patterned backsplash below the stone hood.

5.  Keep accessories simple and spare. Fewer objects on the countertops and table allow the room to “breathe” and prevent the eye from being overwhelmed by clutter.

6.  Embrace color. Deep tones can actually make walls recede in small spaces. White trim and abundant light help to prevent dark colors from dominating a room.

7.  Favor texture over pattern. Textures are generally less busy than patterns and can create interest without visual “noise.”

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