Into the Woods

By Phyllis Schiller | Photos By Beth Singer

Wrapped in rich cherry cabinetry, an Arts and Crafts-style kitchen cozies up to the current century.

Although the area designated for the kitchenwas generous, the clients’ needs were comparably large. A couple whose four married daughters and families often visit, they wished to create an inviting center in which their extended family could cook and relax. “We wanted a space thatwas going towork and hold all of us,” says the wife. “When we get together, we all end up in the kitchen. I also didn’t want anything that said ‘touch-me-not.’ Especially with our crew.”

Kitchen specialist Dianne Zald was up to the job, arranging the roughly 500-square-foot L-shaped space in five basic work zones, “so the owners didn’t have to walk forever,” she explains.The zones include prep, cooking, and clean-up areas, seating at one end of the 10-footl ong island, and a wet bar/entertaining center.The space also features a dining nook that leads to a screened porch.

The house, designed and built by B&B Construction in Romulus, Michigan, has an Arts and Crafts ambience well suited to its Grand Ile, Michigan, site.Zald remained true to the period look, specifying richly hued custom cherry cabinetry with simple recessed-panel doors. The top tier of the upper units features frosted-glass inserts that are lit from within.Other illumination includes two styles of pendant lights, recessed cans between the beams, and under-cabinet lighting.

To compensate for the room’s 10-foot height and create a more intimate atmosphere, the designer traversed the ceiling with cherry beams that sit atop an 18-inch-high, stepped cherry fascia. All wear the same stain as the cabinets. “Bracket details add visual interest,”Zald explains, and “help bring the cabinetry height down to a pleasing proportion.”

Cambrian Black granite counters run the perimeter of the room, while the key-shaped island is topped with Golden Oak granite. “I wanted the island to be of a separate piece,” says the homeowner, “rather than blend in with the rest of the kitchen. That’s why I like the different colors of granite—one brown and one black, instead of total black.”

Stainless-steel Wolf and Sub-Zero appliances offset the preponderance of cherry in the cabinetry, flooring, and ceiling treatment. But the dishwasher and refrigerated drawers beneath the Sub-Zero wine storage unit vanish into the cabinetry. The appliances’ durability was as important as their aesthetics. “I love my stove,” the homeowner says, “it’s more like a piece of art for me.”What could be more fitting in a room that pays tribute to the Arts and Crafts style?