Mixed Materials Add Eclectic Charm to Remodel

Ask designer Jean Zinner, ASID, CID, what the opposite of modern minimalism is and she might just show you a photo of this Calabasas, CA kitchen remodel. Zinner, of the Santa Monica, CA-based JAZ Designs, Inc., had worked with the homeowners twice previously on other jobs within their home, but she says this was the largest project they’d ever done at the residence.

The 13'5"x21'5" kitchen had the luxury of space on its side, giving the designer something to work with. However, it was curiously lacking in smart storage and functional workspace.

To address this, Zinner decided to go with a traditional/ transitional open-plan kitchen to create a Great Room within the home.

“The client discussed the need for more space for her family of five and I interpreted it by enlarging the kitchen and the flow into the Great Room,” says the designer.

The kitchen had the benefit of two pass-throughs which had the effect of making other nearby spaces accessible, and encouraging the passage of natural light from room to room. Both were kept in place for the new layout.

Challenges

The placement of the major appliances was key to the success of this design.

The original layout had an existing Sub-Zero refrigerator blocking the windows which, unobstructed, would provide a garden view.

To achieve that view, the original refrigerator was upgraded to a Sub-Zero side-by-side model with custom knotty pine panels and was relocated to clear the way and allow for additional windows to be added.

“There were no windows in the old kitchen on the back wall,” Zinner says. “The refrigerator and double oven and pass-through were located on the back wall of the original design.”

The pass-through leads to the outdoor built-in barbeque, which the client frequently used as a serving area. For that reason, the Zinner thought it made sense to keep this intact in the new design.

To open up and elongate the kitchen, the sink area was relocated to the back wall where a Rohl farmhouse sink now sits.

A large window was also added over the sink in order to add a view of the client’s garden and further bring the outdoors into
the kitchen layout.

“The farmhouse kitchen sink is placed on the back wall primarily so the client can see her children in the backyard or when they are in the pool area,” Zinner says.

An oversized hood took up valuable storage space in the previous kitchen’s layout, and Zinner was careful to avoid that issue again.

Additionally, there was a lack of food preparation areas surrounding the appliances because of the configuration of
the walls, which the designer had to address.

Details, Details

The kitchen was designed to be a continuation of the home’s design theme, described by Zinner as “Old World Eclectic.”
The material choices made in various parts of the kitchen reflect this sensibility, including the limestone chosen for the perimeter countertops, as well as the repetition of unusual color throughout the space.

“Although there are contrasting shades of color and various textures, there is also an equal sense of proportion and symmetry,” says Zinner, noting the interplay of woods between appliance fronts, cabinetry and the island, as an example.

The various wood species used in the space, such as distressed pecan on the floor, pine paneling and the poplar cabinetry, are highlighted by touches of cobalt blue that appear throughout the room.

Both the refrigerator panels and the island are knotty pine and stained the same shade of blue, which matches the cobalt blue Viking range, added in place of the original cooktop. Beside the range is a warming drawer in the same shade.

Twin Miele dishwashers flank the sink area, and sport poplar panels which match the poplar cabinetry, painted off-white with a rich honey glaze, by Torrance, CA-based All Star Cabinets.

The blue coordinates with the Malibu reproduction hand-glazed tile mural and detailing on the custom-designed hood surround and backsplash.