Alexandria house had a beautiful modern white kitchen with sleek black granite countertops and stainless steel Viking and Sub-Zero appliances. The homeowner was looking for a kitchen space with a richer, and warmer feel and tone that would resonate with the rest of the furnishings of the home.
Using three aging techniques, Case gave the kitchen an old-style makeover, which exudes a contemporary feel. The aging process began with cinnamon-stained knotty alder wood cabinets, which complemented the honey hardwood floors. These cabinets were supplied by Crystal Cabinet Works.
The entirely hand-made process was time-consuming and expensive. Crystal uses a press to create worm holes. To simulate wearing, craftsmen take the edges of the door front and use orbital sanders to produce an effect that looks like deteriorating painted finish. In distressing, a hammer-like tool with miscellaneous objects attached to it was used to bang the cabinet doors. This made the wood look like as if it was painted over.
The cabinets were paired with a Caesarstone quartz countertop in Jerusalem sand colour with a small ogee edge profile detail. A stone backsplash in similar tones replaced a glossy, blue-painted wall that clashed with the warmer colour scheme.
The homeowners also wanted the warm look of a slate floor, but were concerned about the maintenance and upkeep of natural stone in a high-traffic area. Case team suggested installing a porcelain slate with high variation to provide the look and feel of slate with no maintenance. Natural stone was used over the fireplace, where maintenance was not an issue.
The inspiration behind the colour scheme was brick, which was incorporated into the backsplash material. The design team chose 3-by-6 honey, glossy hand-molded ceramic tile for the backsplash that would also complement other finishes, such as the floor and fireplace surround.
Stainless steel appliances were retained in the makeover with plumbing fixtures replaced. AMirabelle stainless steel double-bowl sink and Grohe Bridgeford faucet was added in brushed nickel.
