Laura Birns Design - Magazine Article 'Culinary Art'

Recent Projects in the News:

.: Better Homes And Gardens Kitchen and Bath Ideas, May/June 2008 'GREEN WE ENVY'
.: San Diego At Home Magazine - April 2008 'GREENER PASTURES'
.: Better Homes And Gardens Kitchen and Bath Ideas, May/June 2007 'GREEN GETAWAY'
.: San Diego At Home Magazine - April 2007 'GOING GREEN'

Visit our ARCHIVED ARTICLES for more!

Better Homes & Gardens
SPECIAL INTEREST PUBLICATIONS

KITCHEN AND BATH IDEAS - July/August 2004

view details | view floor plan | view Laura's concept

"culinary art"

"In Candy and Bob Fagan's kitchen, the sculptural curves of the island and banquette contrast with the grid of the cooking area. Stainless steel is warmed by wood tones, including maple and wenge--a dark African wood--on the banquette."

Written by Amber Barz

Photographer: Ed Gohlich

"Glass mosaic tiles, which add sparkle to the cooking center's backsplash, provided the
inspiration for the amethyst accent color. Stools at the curved end of the island supplement
banquette seating and offer the perfect perch for snacking and socializing."

With its state-of-the-art appliances and crowd-size cooking and entertaining capacity, the kitchen at the heart of Candy and Bob Fagan's costal California ranch home would make any serious cook swoon. But function is only half of the room's renaissance. The space reflects an appreciation of the fine arts as well as the culinary kind.

"We not only wanted our remodeled space to be hardworking, we wanted it to look and feel cozy and welcoming," Candy says.

The hardworking part comes from an addiction that dearly doubled the size of the kitchen, giving the empty-nester couple more room to entertain. Raising the 8-foot-high ceiling by 2 feet enhanced the vertical spaciousness, while a new 11-foot-long sculpted island houses a second sink and creates enough storage and workspace for two cooks.

The island incorporates sweeping curves, including an attached arc-shape banquette that offers comfortable seating for the couple and as many and four of their friends. The banquette supplements guest seating in the adjoining family area and nearby fining room

"The addition enabled me to provide the Fagans all the work area, gathering room, and storage space they needed," interior designer Laura Birns says. "the challenge was to make this large, open room feel cozy and inviting for both a couple and a crowd."

To do that, Birns suggested the Fagans choose an artistic mix of natural woods, vibrant colors, and tactile surfaces. "Bob and Candy have a great appreciation for contemporary art," Birns says. "We wanted the kitchen to convey that part of their personalities as well as look like a work of art in and of itself."

"Bamboo flooring continues the kitchen's contemporary look. Windows above the sink match those found in the
original house and set up a pass-through to a backyard patio."

"An island prep sink convenient to the refrigerator
and countertop enables Candy and Bob to work in
the kitchen at the same time."

The approach is readily apparent in the cabinets: Some have a natural maple finish, while others are painted an energetic amethyst. The banquette and a computer desk both incorporate wenge, an African wood. "When I showed Bob the palette and told him we were going to use amethyst on some of the cabinets, he was more than a little nervous," Candy says. "But now that it's finished, he likes it as much as I do."

Flecks of amethyst in the granite countertops pick up the cabinets' purplish hue. Mitered edging makes the granite appear much beefier than its 3/4-inch thickness.

Adding to the mix are some stainless-steel upper cabinets with door panels of striking striated glass. The glass provides a peek inside, but its translucence makes neatness a choice, not a requirement.

"The patterned glass also ties the cabinetry to the adjacent entryway's glass-block wall," Birns says. "We purposely chose materials and colors that complement those used throughout the home to make the kitchen look like it has always been a part of the home, rather than an afterthought."

The upper cabinets, both the metal and maple versions, are topped with a bronze-finish valance that tidily conceals compact fluorescent accent lights. The bronze also brings texture and color to the toe-kick area. The sinks and appliances are stainless steel.

"Textured-glass fronts partially obscure the
contents of some cabinets. The double oven, with a warming drawer below, offers convection and conventional cooking."

"One corner is a coffee bar and pantry. Pullouts to the left take up less floor space than a walk-in pantry. An appliance garage parks idle gadgets."

Bamboo flooring is similarly contemporary, but in a warmer, woodsier form. "Bamboo is a renewable resource that offers all the beauty and resiliency of hardwood," Birns says. "The bamboo's narrow width makes it a perfect compliment to the kitchen's contemporary design."

The design may be a work of art, but it's unlike most galleries, where the rule is do not touch the art. In this exhibition of kitchen artistry, the cheerful colors, earthy wood tones, and varying textures make for a very touchable and inviting space.

"When you step in here," Birns says, "you cant help but want to run your hands across the surfaces."

IN THE DETAILS

Like a work of art, the kitchen includes nuances appreciated on close inspection and yields fresh inspiration from different viewing angles.

1 - Striated-glass cabinetry panels hint at the contents without highlighting them. The effect changes with the angle of the light hitting the glass.

2 - Vented metal drawer fronts hold onions, potatoes, and other food items requiring good air circulation. The design also reflects the influence of contemporary art.

3 - Handmade glass mosaic tiles were one of the first choices the Fagans made. They fell in love with this design, intending to use it for the entire backsplach. However, interior designer Laura Birns discovered that there was only a limited supply of the tiles left, so she bought what she could and concentrated the tiles around the cooktop to maximize their impact.

4 - Pendants above the island augment ambient light from recessed ceiling fixtures and natural light from windows in the kitchen and adjoining family room.

5 - The prep sink boasts a faucet that is appropriately cool and clean in design.

6 - Painted drawers bring out the flecks of amethyst in the granite counters. The natural grain in the maple cabinets shows through.

7 - Artistic design extends to the backs of the chairs at the banquette and the computer desk. "The stained-wood finish looks great next to the wenge wood without looking too contrived," Birns says.

a far-from-still-life color portrait

- A substantial addition nearly doubled the size of the kitchen and set up an L-shape work core and curved island in a space that is open to the family room
- The island, with attached banquette, helps separate the cooking zone form the eating and gathering areas and includes a convenient prep sink. The arc-shape banquette doubles as overflow TV seating for the family room.
-The primary appliances are concentrated on a long wall parallel to the island.
- A coffee bar, pantry, and desk add to the multifunctional nature of the kitchen.