Freshly Focused
In this 2022 Kitchen of the Year winner, a European-inspired aesthetic by KINGDOM WOODWORKS pushes the design envelope to create a unique space suited to entertaining
A pair of empty nesters making the move from a suburban farm to Ansley Park enlisted a team of Atlanta talents to transform their newly purchased 1912 manse into a fresher, brighter home. Having the ability to host large gatherings was a priority for the couple, thus placing a spotlight on the kitchen.
First up, architect Linda MacArthur finessed the layout, knocking down walls and doors to open up the compartmentalized spaces. Now, a floating range wall serves as the only partition between the kitchen and scullery. This unique feature serves as the centerpiece of the kitchen, its sculptural charm—along with a La Cornue range—captures the European aesthetic that the couple was seeking, says designer Jane Hollman of Studio Entourage.
“Since they came from a farm, there was also a tremendous amount of work put into creating a connection to the outdoors,” she adds. Large steel windows overlooking the lush courtyard help establish this, as do textural elements like the rift white oak cabinetry designed by Marcel Olariu of Kingdom Woodworks.
Olariu incorporated luxurious touches, from a hidden television cabinet to dish pegs to light-up drawers, and placed a special emphasis on using pocket doors to hide smaller appliances such as a toaster, microwave and coffee machine. “These things normally sit plugged in on the counter, but can be an eyesore. We had so much of this beautiful marble in here that it didn’t deserve to be covered by clutter, so we created storage solutions to combat this,” explains Olariu.
This also allows for the dual counter vignettes flanking the kitchen entryway to function as bars when hosting. Instead of traditional cabinet doors here, Olariu suggested steel window doors to match the kitchen’s airy and earthy aesthetic. “It’s not a fussy or complicated kitchen,” he says. “All the natural elements speak for themselves.”
Design Details Kitchen Designers Marcel Olarui, Kingdom Woodworks and Jane Hollman, Studio Entourage Interior Design Studio Entourage Architecture Linda MacArthur Architect Builder John Willis Custom Homes CABINETRY Kingdom Woodworks HARDWARE Armac Martin MARBLE Ciot fabricated by Stone Pro, Inc. HOOD François & Co. BACKSPLASH Renaissance Tile & Bath LIGHT FIXTURES Visual Comfort through Circa Lighting SCULLERY WALLPAPER Phillip Jeffries
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