Kitchen and Bath Design

 Modernist Kitchen 

I designed this crisp modern kitchen while working at the Poggenpohl Design Studio in Old City, Philadelphia. The rendering below was a 3-D model drawn with Sketchup software. 2-d plans are drawn in Autocad, standard for this studio.

 

Rendering in 3D modeling program Sketchup
 

Same view of completed kitchen

 

Warm and Functional Craftsman Style Kitchen

Quarter-sawn Oak creates the distinctive grain pattern and rich look of the cabinetry in this craftsman style update to a row home in Washington DC. A major redesign of the existing Victorian-era floor plan was needed to create the owner's dream of a modern, open kitchen/dining/activity room towards the rear of the house overlooking the deck and garden.

 

Sometimes a simple line drawing can best convey room rearrangement. Here the study moved forward, adjacent to the living room, and an enclosed porch was removed. The rear of the house now had space to accommodate a combined open kitchen and dining/activity room for the family. 

Rich Mosaic Tile in Contemporary Bath

 

The "before" and "after" shots are striking after a complete re-design of this master bathroom. The owner now wakes daily to a luxury spa experience, instead of his functional but dreary and outdated bathroom prior to renovation (below).

 

The cabinetry is a combination of custom and semi-custom/manufactured maple. A curved header with recessed lighting mirrors the arc of the vanity top below. The vanity is made from Liptus, a sustainably grown hybrid of Teak and Eucalyptus, very impervious to water.

The shower area features super-sleek dual showerheads, a skylight, heated floor, and a fog-free shaving mirror.








Good Design Conquers Problematic Layout

 

Check out the "Before" picture below to see why the owners of this historic townhome were at their wits end trying to design a functional kitchen. The original cooking hearth from 1860 dominated the center of the room, leaving little space for countertop workspace and appliances. They did not want the expense of removing the fireplace/chimney structure, or the hassle of getting permission from the historic commission. The solution was to incorporate the chimney into the flow of the work area. Placing tile in the hearthbox created a perfect backdrop for the slide-in range, and the new stainless vent fan tied directly into the old flue. Now there was room for everything on their wish list, including a peninsula with seating.

 

Modernist Master Bath 

Another contemporary design with beautiful tile and soft neutral colors to create a personal bath area rich in understated luxury. The soaking tub is a Phillipe Stark design with a tile skirt from 24" square tile by Italian manufacturer Casa Dolce Casa. Note the water control knobs placed to the side, easy to reach without leaning forwards. Precision is key for oversize tile placement, especially in a modernist design; hence the "critical alignment" notations on my elevations, shown below, along with a line rendering.