When I figured out that I would be including other designers' work on this blog, there was no question that I would want to show the beautiful kitchen of my good friend Nana Kim, Principal Designer of Nine Square Studio. She and her husband Scott built their South Austin house on an empty lot that had a big, beautiful live oak tree right in the middle. The design of the house works around this asset of the site, forming a courtyard with lots of windows facing inward.
The kitchen occupies one big open room with the dining and living areas, a couple of steps down from the entryway as you walk in. It is the perfect combination of elegance and functionality, and its sophisticated palette of natural tones is offset by bright pops of color and thoughtfully-placed accessories.
The island presents a minimal face to the living area, and welcomes guests to take a seat while there's action in the kitchen. At 3'-6" deep by 6'-10" long, it easily accommodates cooking on one side and dining on the other.
When the kitchen is not in magazine-ready form, it is being occupied and cooked-in by the dynamic duo of Nana & Scott. Nana dices, slices, and makes some mean Korean food; Scott likes to experiment with recipes and is the primary chef de cuisine (hence the authoritative apron).
The feeling of simplicity and elegance is gained by the careful design of cabinets and shelves; most of the storage is pushed to either side of the kitchen, which leaves the plastered wall behind the sink and range uncluttered.
Nana designed the cabinets with their contents in mind: a closed, 12" deep cabinet for plates and servingware, 6" deep shelves for wine glasses and other stemware, and adjustable open shelves for display items, cookbooks, and the microwave. I love those antler-candleholders, painted black. They make such an amazing silhouette against the bright yellow!
The stainless backsplash has been break-formed into a shelf measuring about 4" deep, which accommodates a few objects and stays (remarkably) uncluttered. Nana designed the electrical layout so that the outlets are housed underneath this shelf, which hides them from view. The image to the left shows the standing mixer plugged into the hidden outlet.
This was yet another way to condense the many utilitarian functions of the kitchen into a simple, minimal arrangement.
The island has a pull-out shelf system for oils & vinegars and other at-hand cooking items. Chef Scott enjoys the generous layout space provided on the island! The carrera marble countertop is perfect for rolling dough or making dumplings, since the surface remains cool and pastry keeps its shape. At the same time, the marble makes an elegant bar surface for friends and family hanging out (and watching Scott cook).
The lower cabinets are configured with one shallow drawer above two deep drawers, giving plenty of room for pots & pans, colanders, and large mixing bowls.
The utility room is located to one side of the kitchen, but it has been cleverly adapted into a coffee bar and overflow storage for additional appliances and household supplies. A pocket door gives Nana & Scott the option to close off the utility area during dinner parties, and it saves space as well.
The cabinets are of a simple construction with a laminate countertop. This was a smart way to save a little money in a room that is not as visible.
Opposite the utility / coffee room is the walk-in pantry. The 12" deep, fixed shelves are the easiest way to organize and grab what you need quickly. Personally I'm not a fan of all the moving parts that outfit so many contemporary pantries. Just keep it simple!
Thanks so much to Nana and Scott for sharing their kitchen! It's fun to take a closer look at all the pieces that, together, make such a well-designed space.
Cindy, Thanks for sharing this wonderful kitchen! Excellent work Nana! Love the electric green cabinet to the right and the details with the stainless spash/shelf are awesome. Just goes to show it's well worth the time & effort to find a good designer/architect. -Matt Risinger