According to Susan Templer of Templer Interiors, San Francisco, West Coast kitchen designers frequently see new trends develop that are later used in kitchens across the US.We asked Susan what homeowners in California are looking for in a kitchen remodel:
Susan Templer : For the past six or seven years people have been getting hardwood floors in their kitchens - almost exclusively.Now, suddenly, people are asking for tile floors.
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People want the rich look of stone and ceramic. I like to make sure, however, that they realize while tile and stone look great, they can be cold and unforgiving if you drop something.
In addition to tile, I also show my clients the options of high-end laminate or alternative flooring materials, like Amitco - a respected flooring brand. A single piece of this product on its own may not look impressive but, the installed floor looks like the "real thing". It offers the soft, warm comfort of a vinyl floor with the look of stone, marble, ceramic, granite or slate, but it's cheaper.
Another trend that has been out there for a while is the "Great Room Concept". This involves taking out walls to create one open space; the kitchen then becomes part of the family room.
I've also moved a lot of dining room tables into the living room to make room for a bigger kitchen. |
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One of the design challenges for this kitchen was fitting everything the homeowners wanted into the small space. Expanding the doorway and installing pocket french doors allowed for a longer island. The island was a key part of the design, housing the microwave convection oven and a recycling center. High ceilings permitted double stack cabinets. Using frosted glass prevented these from feeling too imposing. |
While the kitchen is largely designed to suit the needs of the primary cook, the husband has his own gourmet espresso corner. As the "drink guy" he has everything he needs at his bar to serve espresso and "drink-drinks", right down to his own bean roaster. The glass cabinet door is a clever design feature that allows him to display his collection of espresso cups from their world travels. |
Many homes in San Francisco are older and smaller so there isn't always a way of making the kitchen larger. Sometimes we have to work with what's there.
Renovation Experts: How would you describe the style of this kitchen and the home itself?
Susan Templer : The style of the home is Arts and Crafts with a 1920's influence. The kitchen is really a "blend of styles". My client loves the Italian style, so in designing the kitchen I blended a traditional look with a bit of Italian design. The Italian influence is seen in the tile backsplash and the pendant lights. The pictures are prints of Italian and French ads. I also used shaker style doors which were typical of the 1920's era.
Renovation Experts: Are there any design features that you like to include in all of your kitchen remodels?
Susan Templer : There are three things that I always try to get into my kitchens:
- 1) High-tech storage organizers in the cabinets to maximize the cupboard space. In this kitchen I included drawer dividers, pantry tray dividers and a double garbage pull-out.
- 2) Lots and lots of counter space. I make sure that the counters don't get chopped up. I do this by lining up all of the tall stuff: like the pantry and the fridge.
- 3) A decorative focal point that faces the dining room or another outside room. This kitchen has several good examples: the glass cabinet doors on the end of the island, open shelves under the island, and curved open shelves that end the upper cabinets next to the sink.
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The long island provides lots of counter space for food preparation. The seating area on the island allows guests to hang out in the kitchen while the cooking is going on.
Susan Templer ensures her clients are always happy with their new kitchen by collaborating with them through the whole design process.
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Renovation Experts: What materials and appliances did you use in this kitchen remodel?
Susan Templer : My client is a serious cook and had very specific requirements. High capacity appliances were very important to her, but we had limited space to work with. Because of this it took a long time to find the right appliances to fit the space. Here's what I used for her kitchen:
- Cabinets – Alder wood, stained Toffee with a Brown Glaze, from Huggy Bear’s Cupboards (Portland, Oregon)
- Countertops – Caesarstone from True Stone, San Francisco
- Backsplash – tumbled limestone and marble from Walker-Zanger
- Gas Range – Wolf
- Convection microwave/oven combo – Wolf
- Hood – Wolf
- Refrigerator – Amana
- Dishwasher – Bosch
- Pendant lights – CSL
- Cabinet hardware (handles and knobs) – Top Knobs
- Interior cabinet storage – drawer divider – Blum
- Pantry, tray dividers – Hafele
- Recycling center – Hafele
Get more great ideas for your kitchen from our other kitchen articles.
To see more of Susan's work visit Templer Interiors' web site.
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