KBB

KBB

Projects: 

September 28, 2015

Gadgets and modern flair abound in a Crestwood, Ky. kitchen that was reimagined by designer Tom Lutz, owner of Louisville, Ky.-based Just 4 You Custom Kitchens & Bath.

“The client is a tech-loving person who wanted the latest and greatest technology features we could incorporate,” said Lutz. “We achieved that with new electronics and lighting, along with the best cabinet accessories available.”



View this kitchen gallery here.

Modern Minimalism 


Since the owner – a single man – requested that all appliances and cookware have a dedicated place, Lutz made design-forward storage a key aspect of the project.

“He really did not want to have anything on his countertops; he was a true minimalist,” he said. “That was the main challenge – fitting everything into the overall space he had available.”



Taking full advantage of the room at his disposal, Lutz installed a pullout compartment under the sink to keep loose items organized and out of sight, while newly installed upper cabinets were used to hide unsightly outlets. This kept the cooktop’s iridescent mosaic backsplash uninterrupted. 



Making sure that no aspect of the cabinetry was ignored, a hard-to-reach cabinet over the refrigerator was equipped with a motorized flip-up door with an operable remote for easy control. Soft-close cabinets and large drawers under the cooktop provide additional storage.



Functional Features


A black-stained maple island topped in earthy granite was added to complement the perimeter cabinets, which feature mahogany veneer, slab-style doors. This island features functional prep space on either side of a primary sink with bar-height seating arranged around a raised granite overhang. This eating area proved challenging to construct because “he didn’t want any corbel shelving there, and we had to figure out a way to hide the support,” said Lutz. “It’s pretty much invisible now.” 



Approximately 11 feet long, the island also contains a double drawer on its right side with two panels that slide over one another; together, they can hold more than 25 specialty utensils. Three blue glass pendant lights were hung above in reference to the owner’s glass collection, which is on display in the nearby open living room.

“We didn’t want anything too overbearing there, but the pendant lights brought in a bit of color and light to the area,” said Lutz.



Useful Quirks



Rather than use mahogany or simple paint to highlight the toe-kick, Lutz opted for black polymer detailing that would prove durable over time.

“He wanted the kitchen to be as maintenance free as possible, so we used a high-tech material called Permatech that is virtually indestructible,” he said.



While perimeter countertops make a bold statement in unusually colored granite, cabinets pop with a soft pillow edge that further enhances the room’s contemporary aesthetic. This softness was carried through to the cooktop area, which features radius corners above and on either side of an ultra-modern hood. 



“Accessorizing everything that we did in the kitchen was my favorite part,” said Lutz. “It all worked out exactly the way we intended.”



Source List


Designer: Tom Lutz, Just 4 You

Photography: Mike Tuell



Cabinet Pullouts and Drawer Accessories: Rev-a-Shelf

Convection Oven: Fisher-Paykel 30 in.

Custom Cabinets: Cuisines Laurier

Countertops: Island-Azul Aran Granite, Perimeter tops-Black Pearl Granite

Dishwasher: Bosch

LED Lighting: Tresco

Mosaic Backsplash: Barnett Tile

Oven: GE 220 Volt Advantium

Refrigerator: KitchenAid 36 in French Door Refrigerator

Sink: Kohler Cast Iron

Stove: Wolf 36in. Gas Cooktop

Ventilation: 42 in. Vent-a-Hood

Source List

More Projects