A Lincoln Park Condo
The completed kitchen.
This Lincoln Park kitchen was about 30 years old, with all of the walls, cabinetry, and appliances. The look and feel was claustrophobic.
The renovation involved opening up the wall that separated the dining room and kitchen, while increasing the space between the cabinetry about 6 inches wider. The clients have one of the optimal views of the city (downtown and the lake), so it made sense to experience this view from the kitchen while cooking and entertaining.
The wood selected is exotic, grown in South Africa. Malkore(Tieghemella heckelii) yields a beautifully grained and sometimes highly figured wood from trees that grow in Nigeria, Sierra Leone, the Ivory Coast, Ghana and Liberia.
The lovely tile flooring is honed limestone, balancing well with the amber lighting and granite countertops with full-height backsplashes.
The kitchen layout and simple lines were designed to highlight the exquisite wood grain. Every detail focused on space utilization without distracting from the aesthetics.
One of the main features of the kitchen is the curved sweep of the breakfast bar and art shelving. This gentle sweep is noted from the home entrance, where the kitchen makes its first statement. The toe kick of the breakfast bar is softly lit, further accenting the curved sweep and the elegant wood.