Photography: Cynthia Lynn Kim
Kitchen overview
People who live here: family
position: Hinsdale, Illinois
size: 275 square feet (26 square meters). 121/2 x 22 feet
designer: Laura O’Brien O’Brien Harris (kitchen design) and Moment Design (Architecture)
builder: Julie Lux J Jordan Holmes
The house is new and O’Brien co-designed it with architect Julie Law. The aim was to create a kitchen that is liked by chefs and suitable for gatherings. “We have a small lot here, so we had to come up with a relatively compact floor plan,” says O’Brien. “This meant that the kitchen would be completely open to the family room.” About 275 square feet were allocated for the kitchen, and O’Brien made the most of it.
This is the view from the family room. “The kitchen is completely within sight of the family room, so the approach was to integrate the kitchen into the architecture. The design of this wall was driven by this openness,” says O’Brien. Farmhouse nostalgia inspired the white oak cabinetry, while clean lines and contemporary lighting give it a sophisticated look.
The designer wanted the window wall to look like a clapboard wall, so he used wood with fluted cuts to look like clapboard for the cabinets. She hid the refrigerator behind a cut tree on her left. There is a pantry cabinet on the right. In the center of the pantry cabinets are her two appliance garages, whose doors flip up.
“We also had to de-emphasize the ventilation hood, but using wood for it felt too bulky,” says O’Brien. “With smooth stainless steel, it blends into the background and brings the window into focus.”
Find a local kitchen designer
Kitchen overview
People who live here: family
position: Hinsdale, Illinois
size: 275 square feet (26 square meters). 121/2 x 22 feet
designer: Laura O’Brien O’Brien Harris (kitchen design) and Moment Design (Architecture)
builder: Julie Lux J Jordan Holmes
The house is new and O’Brien co-designed it with architect Julie Law. The aim was to create a kitchen that is liked by chefs and suitable for gatherings. “We have a small lot here, so we had to come up with a relatively compact floor plan,” says O’Brien. “This meant that the kitchen would be completely open to the family room.” About 275 square feet were allocated for the kitchen, and O’Brien made the most of it.
This is the view from the family room. “The kitchen is completely within sight of the family room, so the approach was to integrate the kitchen into the architecture. The design of this wall was driven by this openness,” says O’Brien. Farmhouse nostalgia inspired the white oak cabinetry, while clean lines and contemporary lighting give it a sophisticated look.
The designer wanted the window wall to look like a clapboard wall, so he used wood with fluted cuts to look like clapboard for the cabinets. She hid the refrigerator behind a cut tree on her left. There is a pantry cabinet on the right. In the center of the pantry cabinets are her two appliance garages, whose doors flip up.
“We also had to de-emphasize the ventilation hood, but using wood for it felt too bulky,” says O’Brien. “With smooth stainless steel, it blends into the background and brings the window into focus.”
Find a local kitchen designer