Entry: "Vanderbuilt Farms - Contemporary Kitchen Remodel"
Designer: Ashli Shields
Dealership: Design Outside The Lines Interiors
The rest of the story ...
The client’s wanted a unique space to comfortably entertain 3-5 couples with a few specifics catered to each the husband and the wife. The husband wanted to have a space where he could turn the cooking process into a show for his guests. A space with at least 60” of cooktop space with 2 full size ovens. The wife wanted a pantry complete with pull-out drawers that would allow easier access to food with at least 48” of chilled storage space. They also wanted a dedicated bar with its own sink and ice maker in order to make the kitchen a one-stop-shop for all entertainment needs. In order to entertain on the scale they desired, they also needed a show-stopping dining table that would spark conversation. Along with a proper place to eat, they also wanted suitable storage for their china and other serving utensils. All of these characteristics combined will illicit the client requests of- “Wow! I have never seen anything like this!” from each and every guest that enters, bringing the couples vision to life.
Creating a space this specific and unique was not without challenges, and it pushed our creativity and design abilities to the next level. One challenge was finding room for 60” of cook top space. After we achieved that space and had finished the design, the husband added that he wanted at least 3’ of butcher block countertop added to the existing design. The wife wanted a white light kitchen but with dark cabinets as she was understandably concerned that her children would get white cabinets dirty. To raise the bar even higher, the client’s wanted to fit in a one-of-a-kind 9’ dining table that no one would have ever seen before, nor see again. There were two structural beams that could not be moved in order to maintain the integrity of the roof which posed several architectural challenges. Storage, specifically upper storage, was another issue since all the walls were taken out to provide for the amount of space the couple desired. Conquering these challenges as well as several others elevated our teams capabilities and has made us eager to take on even more customized and intricate designs in the future.
In order to give these clients the kitchen of their dreams, we had to completely open three rooms and combine them into one gigantic and flowing kitchen. We relocated all the plumbing necessary for the cook top to the center of the room in order to provide for the amount of cooking space the husband wanted. We created a nearly 18’ all drawer island to take the place of upper cabinet storage. The island also boasts a custom-made rolling waterfall butcher block. The butcher block can roll from one end of the island to the other, depending on the space needed and optical presentation the client desires at any particular time. We used cabinet panels to create a floor length waterfall design on the dining table with white oak edges. A resin was applied on top to prevent scratches and maintain integrity and visual appeal even with heavy use. We also had to create a from-scratch beam plan in order to hide the structural components of the kitchen. This kitchen is truly a collaboration of creativity and ingenuity from the ground up.
The homeowners stated, "The concept of this kitchen was designed around the idea of our love for entertaining. Everything from the sliding butcher block, large range, full bar and 18 foot long island pulled this together. We have seating for 15 people to continue building relationships and spending time with family and friends. "
With its immense size, gorgeous quartz, custom one-of-a-kind butcher block, and comfortable foot ledge, the island is easily our design team's most loved aspect of this kitchen. The 9’ waterfall dining table is a close second as well as the bold contrasting color scheme. The unseen architectural work is another prideful and memorable component of this remodel. There’s no question that the stunning look and feel of this kitchen is absolutely one of our most incredible designs to date but by far our favorite aspect of this kitchen is how it pushed us far beyond what we believed our design limits were. Through many hours of brain storming, redesign, and collaboration with various professionals, this unique kitchen idea became a reality and the bar held by Design Outside the Lines reached a new and exciting higher level.
Comments from our judges ...
Wow, what an amazing space!
Love everything about this!