Jennifer Ashton, Allied ASID, Photography by Laurie Allegretti
Jennifer Ashton, Allied ASID, Photography by Laurie Allegretti
Recently I was thrilled to receive word that a kitchen project I designed in an historic area of Santa Fe received recognition from the online site Houzz.com for "Best of Remodeling 2013" from my region which includes areas of Albuquerque to Santa Fe, New Mexico.
This particular kitchen remodel project was a spirited collaboration with a divine client. The building family of Yardman Construction provided the expertise and skill to create the design we envisioned. White-washed vigas, tongue and groove ceiling details, the new garden window, and all the challenges of an older adobe where mastered artfully. Knowing the design of this small kitchen space would offer ease and function based on my client's lifestyle we agreed to keep it natural and light but add a distinctive warmth to the overall feel.
To begin with I am not particularly fond of upper cabinets for small kitchens and really love the feeling creating a casual and relaxed vibe. This kitchen expresses the nature of the homeowner and that keeps it comfortable and cozy for her over time. Sourcing reclaimed wood shelving for the space added charming character and artistic detailing.
The open shelving and herb garden window creates a wonderful extension of natural space. What is so lovely about the garden window is it acts as an artistic focal point that feels fresh and can change for each season. This is one of my favorite features as a new take on the old school garden windows which back in the day were great but, somehow they landed up distorting a great space by being a bit intrusive. Selecting watery subway glass tile for the backsplash was a way of bringing in nature against the warmth of beach drenched diamond plaster. The Caesarstone countertops we sourced from a local remnant yard to keep to budget. In the final overall aesthetic the simplicity and natural light resonates in this small functional space.
