When designer Katie Bacon, CKBR of Dallas-based Kitchen Design Concepts took on the job of remodeling this kitchen in a nearby northern suburb, she was able to engage in some boundary-breaking design. The owners of the 1995 house also have a residence in New Mexico. and they wanted to incorporate elements of Santa Fe style in the new kitchen. The town’s Pueblo-influenced architecture, creative arts atmosphere, and sandy landscape tones all served as inspiration for the remodel.
Designed for a couple whose children have grown and moved out on their own, the cliché label of “empty nester” would not be entirely accurate. “They enjoy entertaining and hosting large gatherings for family and friends, including Seder, the Jewish ritual feast at the beginning of Passover,” said Bacon. “They requested an updated space that best fit their needs for entertaining.”
To that end, the kitchen layout was crafted to make entertaining at any scale simple and enjoyable. The island can act as a buffet for serving large meals. A beverage refrigerator was added on the island for easy access to temperature-controlled wine, letting the couple serve guests without having to leave the kitchen.
The project expanded the designer’s technical knowledge. “I learned a lesson in utilizing existing wood floors. The original blueprint had three angled pony walls separating the kitchen and living room,” she said. “Once the pony walls were eliminated, we discovered the floor planks on either side of the wall did not line up. Because of this, we had to replace more wood flooring than originally anticipated.”
Santa Fe Kitchen Style Details
The homeowners’ love for art and travel inspired Bacon to personalize the project. She created two backsplash sections for different places in the kitchen, one using gold glass diamond tiles, and one using rectangular pieces of natural stone. The mixture of textures brings an element of nature inside and furthered the stylistic vision of the client.
“My favorite part of the design is the Seagull character stain we used for the poplar perimeter cabinets,” said Bacon, who holds a specialist’s badge in cabinetry from the NKBA. “The softness of the stain keeps it light and airy as paint would do, but because it is a stain, it offers a depth that is unachievable with paint.”
In addition to the palette of materials, colors and finishes that recall the aesthetic influences of Santa Fe, the pendant lights over the island are crafted from real stone found in the city, further contributing to the custom feel of the project and creating a natural, yet traditional kitchen.
—By Leslie Clagett, KBB Managing Editor
