One, Kitchens
What makes special special? I contemplate this question a lot. Obsessively. Why do some images make you think “I want to go to there…” and others “Close, but no cigar.” Over the years, I’ve come to know that the distinction is well explained by the Miesian: God is in the details.
Consider the two images below. The first: I want to go to there. The second: Close, but no cigar.
I came across both images on Pinterest. The first is a beautiful kitchen, and is trending well, often reposted. It seems that it quite possibly was the inspiration for the second image, which is appears to be a rendering. Below is an exploration of the visual mechanics behind the two. Scroll to the bottom for a cheat-sheet on how to achieve the first look at various price points.
The Islands
The islands show two very different approaches to detailing. The first shows a frame that showcases a beautiful marble slab. The second shows a monolithic island in what appears to be a Corian type material. The dark frame in the first image recedes next to the light toned slab so that the slab feels like a real feature in the space and appears a bit to float. It says “Hello! Behold this beautiful slab of marble!”. Note the turn-down in the marble counter that gives the appearance of a very thick (read: rich) slab. The second island seems to say “Hey, aren’t I cool?”. Somehow, it’s trying too hard. And, Corian is wonderful, but that Corian does not feel as nice as this marble.
In the first image, the reveal between the back panels of the cabinets are an elegant move. It’s also interesting to note the atectonic design of both islands. The first because the “slab” is between supports instead of being on top of it. The second because the supports and slab are not differentiated in material or thickness.
Both images feature elegant gooseneck faucets. The atypical color (gold) and extra fixture (chilled drinking water faucet) add a rich touch.
Millwork
Wood cabinets are a timeless classic and here they benefit from coupling the classic material with minimalist detailing—align, align, align and only introduce the necessary. Alignment—even spacing and reveals, top cabinet rail is aligned with cabinet fronts. Minimal—no hardware, finger pulls are used instead, reveal spacing is minimal, cabinet fronts appear a monolithic piece of wood.
The millwork finishes are also very different. In the first image, a rich, slightly reddish, medium-toned wood is used. It feels natural and comforting. The matte finish subtly reflects the natural light. In the second image, the millwork has a dark, high-gloss finish. This can be wonderful, it’s just not here. As executed here, the dark fronts call attention to what the wood (and tan, soft leather seat cushions) does so well in the first image. The marble and finish at the island are cool components. The wood warms the room up. There’s no foil in the second image. Everything is shiny, metal, dark, hard. It looks nice, looks modern, but does not feel like home.
The Backsplash
Generous backsplashes just feel nicer. The vertical expanse of marble between the counter and the upper cabinets feels generous, spacious, and luxurious. Note also that the backsplash and counter are the same finish. Is it not as if the counter was beautifully carved from marble? Sometimes I feel that a large expanse of natural material in architecture triggers calmness in the mind because it subconsciously suggests infinite bounty. The absence of seams is the finishing cherry on top for this wonderful execution of design, detailing, and installation.
In the second image, the upper cabinets are installed at a more typical height. This isn’t a bad thing, it just lacks the specialness of the first. The change in material between counter and backsplash is also not a bad thing—changing pattern this way can be visually stunning. What is “bad” here, however, is the seaming. The vertical seam may be better if aligned with the cabinets, not centered on the room, which feels arbitrary given the asymmetry of the other objects on this wall (stove, hoods, cabinets). The placement of the horizontal seam appears unconsidered.
Kitchen Counter
The typical thickness of a counter is 1 ½”. Thinner or thicker will almost always feel special. Both are demonstrated in the first image—the kitchen counter is very thin and the island counter appears around double the typical thickness.
When implementing this device, it’s important to look out for 1) too thin which at best can look flimsy and at worst can be flimsy (eventually warping, cracking, or even breaking) and 2) too thick which can look chunky (for my eye, the island in image two falls into this category, but of course, this is a subjective measure). Proportion of counter thickness to support thickness is also be considered in both cases.
The Range
In-counter ranges are just one of those things that makes a kitchen feel rich. They allow the lines of the counter and millwork to continue without interruption—everything looks streamlined and well-crafted.
The Hoods
Sometimes things just seem “off” because they are. The double copper hood in the second image is impractical from a user standpoint. Can you imagine trying to scrub six months of grease build-up from in between the double hoods? I think this sort of thing does ping the mind. What enters subconsciously as this doesn’t make sense exits consciously as it doesn’t look right. These copper hoods also have a shape and scale that doesn’t read well—they are somehow too large for the room. They call attention to themselves, and then fail to satisfy that attention—as objects, they feel uninteresting. Contrast that to the lighting fixture in the first image. This is also large scale (relative to the size of other objects in the room) and demands attention. But that attention is well satisfied. The pendant is a beautiful, large object, well placed in the scene.
The concealed hood in the first image exhibits an often used and aesthetically pleasing solution: the hood is concealed in the line of upper cabinets. Note that this has been done on module, the rhythm of the cabinet fronts is consistent throughout. I don’t think this is critical, but when done it does add to the feeling of polish and good detailing.