[For Sale] Monoline Kitchen
One of our most celebrated projects overlooking Sonoma Valley hit the market this month, so we thought we'd share some unique features and insider details about the design and construction of this remodel. This was one of our favorite projects and it was such a pleasure to work with the owners on perfecting the space. Here can see the listing by Realtor and good friend Dan Gallagher.
The original 1978 kitchen, which made efficient use of limited space, but at the expense of natural light. The dark wood cabinetry and black linoleum floor became a cave, with the upper cabinetry mounted to the windows looming over you. The original appliances needed replacing and would need to service clients who regularly entertained.
The property itself is stunning. The front yard has minimalist landscaping that celebrates the hillside; dappled sunlight though the trees creates a particular palette of mossy greens and slate grays, all of which we wanted to celebrate by opening up the view and pulling those colors inside. The hard waring countertop material that was essential for high volume use still sports the low contrast veining of natural stone, while the shades of green in the tile and paint call in the mossy shades.
We aimed to maximize and accentuate counter space within this corner of the great room that the kitchen shares with a dining area and living space. The plane of the countertop underlined with the black monoline detail rail defines the useable space.
The monoline detail ties together the shelves, pendant lighting, bar stools and accessories. We also designed a unique finger-pull in the cabinet face which removes the need for pulls/ knobs, and means any drawer can be opened from the the top or underside. When drawers and cabinets are closed a 45º cut allows the finger pull to complete a seamless right angle continuation around corners, matching the detail rail above it.
The black powder-coated shelves accentuate the perspective lines and add verticality to the broad space. The wall-mounted shelves are pass-through to the dining area and the peninsula shelves wrap the corner adjacent to the living space. The intent was to outline a definite perimeter of the kitchen, while still retaining it's connection and flow to the rest of the great room.
On the reverse of the kitchen in the living area we designed custom cabinetry and shelving to display the client's gorgeous collection of crystals and minerals. We chased LED light strips within the profile of the shelving boxes to illuminate the pieces with omnidirectional light, highlighting the various geometries and colorations. The countertop continues under the display case from the peninsula and ties the two spaces together while the change in cabinetry color allows them to feel distinct.
The cabinets were made by Segale Bros. in Hayward, one of our favorite cabinet makers in the Bay Area for high-end cabinetry. Their shop utilizes the latest manufacturing techniques, ensuring accuracy at an incredible speed of production. We visit the workshop during the construction of all our projects to work through details and see the product in person before it reaches the project site.
The general contractor for this project was Whitfield Construction, who have worked on many of our Sonoma County projects (such as above), all with incredible results. Remodel projects are always fraught with during-construction discoveries, and this project was no exception. We've come to depend on Whitfield Construction for their eagerness to work with us in resolving problems in-the-field as they arise, which results in a much cleaner finished product and happier clients.