The Mould's kitchen renovation was relatively straightforward in its scope. The house is a unique "West Coast" contemporary with post & beam construction, vaulted ceilings, and lot of wood. I was presented with a very large space, laid out in a very large 'U' shape. Very inefficient in everbody's estimations. We came up with a simple 'L' shape plan with an island in the middle. As basic as this may sound, the 'devil is in the details' as they say. The key design components of this renovation were obvious: work with the homeowner's tastes which included blues and whites, establish the proper proportions for the cabinetry within the kitchen area, and create a fluid working environment where the kitchen blends into the function of the house. Working with an existing buffet-hutch that the homeowner cherishes, we came up with a complementary classic white door, with a V-notched centre panel. Only the lower doors, however, were detailed as such. We decided to keep the upper doors plain to minimize the business a door such as this can create. For continuity, we installed the v-notched panelling on the backsplash - instead of tile - and also completed a wainscot treatment around the rest of the room. The design aspect that has tied together the entire project was the use of solid butcher-block maple counter tops on all areas of the kitchen. Not as simple as it may seem, though. The island top is a six foot by six foot square and required a bit of maneuvering to just get it in the house. The natural toned butcher-block warms the cool whites & blues and provides a gentle contrast that fits the space wonderfully.

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