Client Overview

This Seattle couple in their 30s are avid entertainers and cooks who hoped to renovate their outdated 1990s kitchen into a contemporary, highly functional space for cooking, conversation, and connection. 

Lifestyle and Requirements

The couple envisioned a contemporary kitchen that aligns with their garden-to-table lifestyle while providing an expansive yet thoughtfully organized space for entertaining and cooking. 

Architectural Style

The ‘90s-style floor plan means many walls are either too short or located in the wrong places, resulting in a dark and outdated feel. 

Design Challenges

• The outdated 1990s kitchen layout did not accommodate their modern lifestyle, requiring a complete overhaul.

• Effortless entertainment demands a space that allows for cooking together or separately, while staying connected to conversations in the adjacent living area.

• Concealing the supplemental cooking zone when not in use, to maintain a clean and organized look.

Solutions

• Contemporary & Functional Layout: Expanding the kitchen to include custom walnut cabinetry warmed up the lighter tone cabinets and created a fresh, organic aesthetic. Handsome Dekton backsplashes stretching uninterrupted across walls echoed the indoor-outdoor flow.

• Custom Pocket Doors: Custom pocket doors discreetly conceal the supplemental cooking zone when not in use. The warm walnut panels align with the adjacent cabinetry, seamlessly blending form and function.

• Smartly Arranged Prep Zone: A smartly arranged prep zone makes for a more efficient, pleasant cooking experience, while the playful teal barstools adds a colorful accent.

• Open Connection to Living Area: Strategic arrangement of appliances and fixtures, plus meticulous lighting, create an effortless gathering space that keeps the cooks connected to conversations in the adjacent living area

• Abundant Natural Light: New, large windows flood the kitchen with natural light, blurring the line between indoor and outdoor living and creating a bright, inviting atmosphere.

Client Testimonial

“Shoshi interviewed us about how we work in the kitchen to design around our workflow. No one else did that. Our entire kitchen design is based around how I tend to hold court and entertain our guests in the kitchen at the same time as food prepping, while my spouse wants to be able to cook at the range, with his back to our guests, and focus. With Shoshi’s design, the kitchen island is my domain and workspace, while he gets an entire wall with the range, a second small sink, and plenty of his own countertop.”