When Stylecraft Homes was working on the concept for a custom home in Frontenac last year, the staff knew that nothing less than a showstopping kitchen would suffice. Enter designer Anne Boedges, who was tasked with turning a sizable space into a cozy and functional kitchen. “Even though this was new construction at a certain price point, we still had to be mindful of budget,” she says. That, says the founder of Anne Marie Design Studio, is the real challenge of a successful project: “Coming up with the beautiful design is the fun part. Turning that into a functional plan with the right pricing—that’s the challenge.”
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The builder wanted an island that wasn’t the typical “overhang with barstools” yet offered seating, Boedges says. Eventually that somewhat vague idea morphed into a built-in banquette. The room is about 20 by 20, but the builder wanted wide walkways and plenty of gathering space. “We had to get the island at the appropriate dimension so that two people could walk past it at the same time and still keep the bench inside the island,” Boedges says. “We nudged left and right during the drawing stage to get everything to fit.” The freestanding table is a deliberate choice. It can be replaced by a longer table if needed.
Flooring Facts
Wide planks and a “light and fresh” color tone on the floors was the designer’s mandate. The team selected a European oak in a 7 1/2-inch plank from the Castle Combe West End line. “It was used throughout the entire house except for the bathrooms,” Boedges says.
Color News
Though the client had no predetermined palette in mind, he did request a blend of tones that didn’t mimic those in other houses on the market. Boedges proposed a combination of blue- and gray-painted maple cabinets with white details and background. “It’s not too masculine; it’s not too feminine. The cabinets resemble furniture without being heavy or loud,” says the designer.
Hidden Appliances
An archway between the room’s two tall cabinets leads to a pantry and mudroom—while providing balance in the space. “When you walk into the kitchen from the mudroom, there are cabinets above you and on each side, so it feels like a pass-through. The refrigerator is inside the cabinet on the left, and a freezer is behind the cabinet on the right.”
The Look of Lanterns
“I look at light fixtures and cabinet hardware as pieces of jewelry that don’t need to match every other metal in the room,” Boedges says. The matte brass finish on the lanterns and pulls is on trend, although Boedges reports that some clients are still leery of it: “People got so used to brushed-nickel fixtures on stainless steel that they’re afraid to mix.” A large lantern was placed above the table and centered with the opening between the cabinets; smaller lanterns are positioned above the island. “We wanted the lanterns to look balanced in the space,” she explains. “When you look at them head-on within the walkway, they’re centered, but when you look at them from the side of the room, they’re offset.” The airy lanterns were sourced from Wilson Lighting.
Pulls, Please
“We wanted something clean that didn’t take away from the other elements in the room,” she says. The sophisticated pulls, from Top Knobs, are finished in the same matte gold seen on the lanterns.
