March 25, 2024
Created by kitchen designer Matthew D. Rao of RAO Design Studio, Inc. in Atlanta, this streamlined space has impeccable design credentials – it was featured in this year’s Modernism Week, the annual celebration of design in Palm Springs, Cal. The modern kitchen is the nucleus from which all other parts of the residence (which was designed by architect Mark W. Daniels AIA) emanate. It embodies the area’s iconic Desert Modernism, a concept that uses strategically placed windows and doors, butterfly-wing rooflines, open floor plans, clean lines and pocketing glass sliding doors to blur the boundary between inside and outside.
Describing the program for the kitchen, Rao said, “The homeowner wanted to consolidate all the functional storage of the kitchen, the bar and the butler’s pantry while keeping the kitchen open to the one-room living space. Also, it had to work both for solitary living and be easily adaptable to entertaining small or moderate groups of people.” He selected SieMatic’s SLX design, whose sleek, minimal lines is in keeping with the aesthetic of the entire home.
For the color and materials palette, Rao looked to the desert surroundings as well as the the interior environment, seeking to strike a balance between the two. He focused on how the cabinet and countertop finishes would visually function in the space. “The dark oak veneer of the wall cabinets recedes and forms a panel-style backdrop that hides all the storage, while the soft, supple gray of the island cabinets blends with the room’s furniture. The stainless steel used at the bar becomes the ultimate neutral, a mono-block of metal that takes on the color tones reflected onto it.”
The designer calls out a special detail of the island as being supportive of living in place. “The SieMatic SLX lighting is a way-finder as well as an aesthetic element, highlighting the edges of the island and forming a finger grip for users of all abilities.” The floor plan of the modern kitchen also contributes to long-term comfort, as it was conceived to require a minimum of walking with the cooking area concentrated in the space between the cooktop and sink.
—By Leslie Clagett, KBB managing editor
Source List
Kitchen Design: Matthew D. Rao, RAO Design Studio, Inc.
Architecture: Mark W. Daniels AIA
Interior Design: Sharon Kiss, Interior Design Ambiance Interiors
Photography: Thomas Story
Cabinets, Cabinet Hardware, Countertops (steel): SieMatic
Cooktop, Dishwasher, Range, Refrigerator, Vent Hood, Wall Ovens: Gaggenau
Faucets: Dornbracht (main), Fortis (bar)
Lighting: Pure Edge Lighting (linear)
Sinks: Blanco