For Nar Design Group, it is common to receive referrals from builders, which is exactly what happened in this ground-up modern California farmhouse project. The active couple were looking for earthy tones in their new house, as well as a functional kitchen, a spa-like primary bath and a bike lounge/man-cave for the husband.
Nar Bustamante, president and founder of his East Sacramento, Calif.-based firm, worked alongside lead designer Kacie Atkinson to create a purposeful, flexible kitchen with lots of open shelving and seating at the island. In the main bath, the design team created a relaxing oasis, paying special attention to continuity.
The Heart of the Home
Bustamante admits he doesn’t pay much mind to the traditional triangle in the kitchen because he believes the actual workstations themselves are more important. He likes to add layers to form a more complex triangle, which he did in this project.
The wife really resonated with the wood-grain look, but the design team didn’t want the space to be a sea of the same color, so they incorporated various trim pieces to break up the custom cabinetry. The back wall features natural brick in a lighter shade to create texture on the large area, and open shelving displays the clients’ pottery. The hand-troweled plaster hood was what the designers called a happy accident.
“This was the rough coat put up by the plaster team, and the wife loved it,” said Atkinson.
The island houses a microwave, dishwasher drawer and a double trash bin pullout, and an end cap provides more space for open shelving. The design team incorporated not just one but two Galley 4-ft. workstation sinks into the kitchen, and full-height wine storage is in the adjacent bar area in the living space.
The subtle lighting plan consists of overhead cans, hand-hammered brass dome pendants over the island and decorative sconces on the back wall that highlight the pottery on display. Because the house has large windows throughout, there is ample natural light coming through during the day as well.
The nearby tall and narrow bar area was given special attention to detail through nickel gap cladding and paint. It houses the wine fridge, drawers for storage and a backsplash that also serves as a cubby. Rice paper on two cabinets and an off-center pendant finish off the look.
Wide, Open Bath
The clients wanted neutral, calming tones for this space, as well as a wide double vanity with a center cabinet to divide the his and hers units. The freestanding tub and makeup area are also located within the main space of this open-layout bathroom, which flows into the spacious interior shower and out into an exterior shower.
The vanities feature drawers within drawers for optimal organization, and the durable Neolith countertops are low maintenance. Four clean and unobtrusive sconces illuminate the vanity area, and the large canopy pendant is a nod to the fixtures in the kitchen.
Bustamante says that most times his clients do not have the design eye to understand how things are going to come together. He works with some of their product and material selections, but not many come to fruition. In this primary bath, the homeowners did choose the floor and wall tile, which emulate a washed-out riverbed and work well in this serene space.
In primary bath, the design team was challenged by width; they wanted to avoid a wall of cabinets and too much clutter – what Bustamante refers to as a run-on sentence – but still adequately fill the space. They achieved this by adding legs to the vanities to give them more of a floating look, and open shelves with lighting underneath provide a more open feel. Large mirrors are strategically placed beside a window in the middle of the vanity wall, and medicine cabinets appear unobtrusive on the side walls.
Modern California Farmhouse Man-Cave
The husband is an avid biker, and as such he wanted a special spot where he could tinker with his wheels and work out. Titled the “Bike Lounge,” it is located at the back of the house in a garage-like space complete with a TV, refrigeration for cold beverages, a sink and storage. Durable elements stand up to multiple bikes sharing the lounge when the husband has fellow cyclists visit, and it is right next to the pool in case anyone wants to take a quick dip.
The new laundry room features a crisp, gray palette with low-maintenance surfaces that are easy to wipe down. Cabinets above the washer and dryer were positioned forward for easy reach to the contents inside, and a hang rod allows for easy drying of clothes over the sink.
Overcoming Project Challenges
In the original plans, the architect had allocated space for a kitchen – with noted locations for the appliances and sink – but the design team had to rework some areas to achieve visual symmetry. They grouped tall cabinetry and appliances along the right wall and matched this on the left side with the cabinet stacked on the countertop.
“With the sides dialed in, we were then able to recenter the island on the range, creating equal spacing on both sides and allowing for beautiful symmetry,” said Atkinson.
There was also a challenge with the high ceilings in the home, so the designers installed full-height cabinets, but the out-of-reach units feature false panels.The lower and upper cabinet fronts are all flush, so the inoperable cabinets still look like a functional part of the kitchen.
The Nar Design Group team said product and material delays were felt in many areas of this project. They had already selected and purchased the product selections, so they had to wait a little longer for the appliances and cabinets to arrive.
“The pandemic has shifted our design process and product ordering dynamics for the foreseeable future,” said Bustamante. “We now decide on and design everything early, and order everything once it’s decided!”
According to Atkinson, the modern California farmhouse kitchen was completed with all the original product selections, as Bustamante believes good things are worth waiting for.
“The clients are ecstatic, and when they stay in touch it means a lot,” she added. “It’s even better when they come back for more, which they already have.”
