A working couple with three young boys were dissatisfied with th…
A working couple with three young boys were dissatisfied with the 1980s-style and layout of their kitchen. The new design reorganizes the circulation and provides visual connections between spaces. (Center: A separate project turned the stairs and created a vertical "core" that houses a pantry, laundry, and HVAC system.)
Courtesy McKinney Architects
The dining room and kitchen area before.
The original kitchen's small windows did not take advantage of t…
The original kitchen's small windows did not take advantage of the view.
R. Greg Hursley Photography
Large windows open the space and allow a view of the yard's oak …
Large windows open the space and allow a view of the yard's oak trees and, in the distance, a glimpes of downtown Austin. The corner soffit combines flexible lighting into a single element that defines the work area. A luminous ceiling is integrally mulled to the corner windows.
R. Greg Hursley Photography
Formed by logical circulation patterns, the boomerang island ser…
Formed by logical circulation patterns, the boomerang island serves as a command center for the busy household.
Stained 'Extira" MDF cabinets, recycled wood floors, and si…
Stained 'Extira" MDF cabinets, recycled wood floors, and simple solid-surface countertops establish a warm color foundation. The upper cabinets' high-gloss/auto-finish laminate, the multi-colored glass tile over the backsplash, and the gala-apple ceiling soffit compliment one another.
Part of a larger remodel of a 1980s-era split-level, this kitchen became the project’s central component. The island became the “command center,” its boomerang shape evolving from traffic patterns. An extra deep cabinet with roll-out shelves and a low-seated microwave allow the children independence in the kitchen, which was important to the clients.
Small windows didn’t allow views of the distant city skyline nor even of the myriad oaks in the yard. Architect Al York added expanses of glass in the kitchen “for light and to expand the space out to the landscape.”
Hardwood flooring and medium-density fiberboard cabinets stained honey give a modern yet warm feel. For contrast, upper cabinets are high-gloss opalescent laminate. After switching the stairs (a separate project), the designers used the new area created to conceal ducts, a pantry, and a washer and dryer.
The judges had high regard for this project and felt it was creative and one of the best they had seen.
