For the kitchen in their Westlake residence, the homeowners wanted a very elevated look but knew that they needed to be strategic with the budget. Amy Elbaum of Los Angeles-based AE Design was ready for the challenge and guided them through the custom yet cost-conscious kitchen renovation that gave them their desired look without breaking the bank.
“The clients specifically told me they didn’t want the room to feel like anyone else’s kitchen – that’s really exciting for a designer to hear,” said Elbaum. But first, a ground-up gut was necessary to correct the flawed floor plan of the existing kitchen, which had an isolated corner sink, a cooktop marooned on an inefficient island, poorly allocated counter space and other less-than-ideal features, not to mention a long-outdated appearance.
Color in a Custom Yet Cost-Conscious Kitchen
The homeowner did not want to use bold colors in a traditional way. So to act as a focal point, the designer chose a dark black/navy shade for the run of base cabinets along the wall where the cooktop is located, and crowned the Wolf appliance with a custom-fabricated brass ventilation hood. It’s picked up by a gold-toned Brizo faucet at the island sink.
For the backsplash, the clients wanted to use marble, but knowing that this would be incredibly expensive, Elbaum offered a smart substitute: a porcelain slab with a mix of grays and gold hues which play off the hood. Not only is it an affordable alternative, it’s much more durable than the natural stone.
The project encountered one glitch at the beginning of the process, which Elbaum laser-focused on correcting. “We started with one contractor on this job – brought in by the client – whom I had uneasy feelings about working with after we met,” she said. Realizing he was not up to the level of proficiency and craftsmanship the project demanded, the designer’s own contractor was called in to finish the job. “It caused some delays but eventually, we got things done properly,” said Elbaum, who concludes, “If your gut is saying something about another professional you are working with, you need to listen to it and not be afraid to voice your concerns.”
The existing kitchen was ripe for replacement.
Sources
Design: Amy Elbaum, AE Design; Photography: Charlotte Lea Photography; Cabinets: Custom by AE Design, fabricated by RB Cabinets; Cabinet Hardware: Emtek; Coffee Machine: Thermador; Cooktop, Wall Oven: Wolf; Countertops: Royal Stone LA; Dishwasher: ASKO; Faucets: Brizo; Kitchen Paneling: Jencor Construction; Lighting: Cedar and Moss, Visual Comfort; Paint: Benjamin Moore, Farrow & Ball; Refrigerator: Sub-Zero; Sinks: Kohler; Seating: World’s Away (island), Landon Cole (custom banquette); Table: SLTWTR Co. by Michael Kussman; Vent Hood: Vogler Metal Design
