Stephanie Lindsey, principal designer of Austin, Texas-based Etch Design Group, found her clients to be enthusiastic collaborators in the transformation of their existing kitchen – a heavy, dark and wood-lined room that embodied many of the depressing design trends of the 1970s. Sharing an affinity for color and pattern, Lindsey and the homeowners set their objective: to infuse the kitchen with personality and light.
The original kitchen had a small window that was awkwardly off-center on the wall. The new design rectifies this with a strongly symmetrical composition.
“Getting the measurements just right was crucial to the overall design,” said Lindsey. “We measured and re-measured to verify we would specify the correct dimensions for the new windows and placed the upper cabinets to flank them symmetrically.”
The wall cabinets echo the elongated proportion of the new windows and carry the use of glass into the room. Their elegantly arcing muntins introduce a curved geometrical motif to the kitchen that is also seen in the mosaic backsplash.
“There are many elements to the design, but it doesn’t feel overwhelming,” said Lindsey. “That’s because we worked to make sure that they all coincided instead of fighting one another.”
One example of this visual equilibrium is found in the use of color in the kitchen. Navy-painted base cabinets mixed with marshmallow cream wall units and brass touches in the backsplash, light fixtures and hardware strike a perfect balance between cooler and warmer hues.
