Kitchen Tour Spectacular

August 2006 Special Sections

Laurel Behning, ASID, CID
17330 24th Ave. N., Plymouth
The challenge is a common one: transform an outdated, closed-off kitchen into a vibrant, open space for family and entertaining.

Interior designer Laurel Behning began the renovation of this Plymouth home by enlarging the doorway between the kitchen and old den (which became an adjacent sitting room) and tearing out the peninsula-shaped counter and the cabinets. With the extra breathing room, Behning met the homeowners’ request for a casual dining area in the kitchen, featuring a built-in upholstered banquette with storage, a custom-made table, and pendant and spiral-track low-voltage lighting over the table.

The colors throughout the eating area, kitchen, and sitting room are neutral with soft green base cabinets and red accents. When the homeowners chose a white oak stripwood flooring, Behning suggested a soft green stain for the base cabinets to avoid wood overload, since the refrigerator, oven, and upper cabinets have a fruitwood finish. “That’s the look in kitchens now—using different finishes or materials on some cabinets or the center island,” Behning says. With no room for a center island, storage and counter space were at a premium. To make the most of the space they had, Behning made all of the custom-made base cabinets and Cambria counters extra deep—twenty-eight inches—and incorporated three Cambria pullout work surfaces under the countertops. One challenge still remained, however: finding a good spot for the cats to eat. Behning’s solution? “I made a kitty cutout in the sink base cabinet, where the food is stored,” she says. “[The cutout] looks like a cat, the cat goes in, and its tail sticks out.”
Resources:
Appliances: Jenn-Air
Cabinets: Maple veneer, custom-made by Roos-Frick, Inc.
Countertops: Cambria in Nottingham
Flooring: White oak stripwood flooring from Roos-Frick, Inc.
Lighting: Tech Lighting

Lynn Monson, ASID, CID, and Sandy Monson, ASID, CID
2116 Kenwood Pkwy., Minneapolis
When it comes to fashion and design, many of us would like to forget the eighties. It’s no surprise, then, that the homeowners of this 1980s-designed kitchen were ready for an update, not to mention an improved space for their gourmet cooking and entertaining needs.

The formerly separate kitchen and dining room were reconfigured into an open space that accommodates multiple guests and gives the cook plenty of working room. Because the homeowners wanted a large, open area but at times wished for privacy from the kitchen, designers Lynn and Sandy Monson replaced the wall between the kitchen and dining room with four translucent sliding glass doors that can be stacked open or closed for intimacy. A cozy sitting area with a built-in fireplace is a subtle transition between the dining room and kitchen.

The Monsons created an eclectic look, blending old and new styles, which is particularly evident in the kitchen. The traditional wall cabinets have a linen-colored glaze finish that gives an antique look, and the lighted upper display cabinets contain the same glass used in the sliding doors. The base cabinets are a modern design from Japanese cabinetmaker Sokee and are made of beech wood with a dark wenge finish. The floor throughout the entire area—from the entryway of the home, past a powder room and pantry, and on to the kitchen and dining room—is large-scale slate tile in warm matte tones.
Resources:
Appliances: Viking range, Sub-Zero refrigerator and wine storage
Cabinets: Custom
Countertops: Cold Spring Granite
Flooring: Slate from Kate-Lo Tile & Stone
Lighting: Studio Steel