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Chevy Chase, MD - Residential Kitchen
Brief Explanation of the Scope of Work
This complete kitchen remodel started out with a number of challenging goals expressed by the clients.
She is of Japanese origin and her husband is American. She is a dedicated chef and said she wanted clean lines with the ability to close the space off from others so she could focus on the demands of preparing complex dishes and well-timed menus. She also wanted to integrate stainless steel and wood work surfaces along with the sustainable properties of bamboo for the cabinetry.
For clean up she wanted a drying/draining system that could be integrated with the counters, rather than the traditional rack. She also wanted a home office space at the end of the kitchen looking over the remodeled balcony/eat-in terrace area.
Unusual Constraints/Challenges & Creative Solutions
Creating a work space that could be closed off was achieved by adding 2 pocket doors and a bar style pass through sized for a role down screen for future installation.
The clients selected narrow-cut bamboo in the carbonized, caramel color. Armin Bondoc, our project designer specified that we run the grain horizontally throughout the kitchen, and in addition to the full slab-front layout, gave a very modern appearance, warmed by the bamboo color (See below).
The sheetgoods we selected for the cabinet exteriors were from Kespera Corporation. They offered a 3/4" thickness, 4x8 panels which utilized 3mm thick bamboo face veneer on both sides, sandwiched with a 1/2" MDF core. This face veneer was 5 times the normal thickness of veneered plywood, giving the benefits in durability of a solid product plus the stability of a balanced MDF core.
Outside edges were edge-banded in matching-bamboo material, and panel returns were miter-folded, creating a solid 1/8" thickness bamboo skin at all areas prone to wear. We used 3/4' maple veneer-core plywood for all of the cases concealed behind doors. All of the cabinetry was finished with three coats of clear low-gloss, catalyzed lacquer.
With the countertops we selected Zebrawood to accentuate the finish of the adjacent brushed stainless steel counters. We chose a two-component Italian urethane product from Milesi because of the thin face veneer and the need for durability. The material has very high solids content and fills the wood grain in the sealer process. The topcoat material is especially durable and resistant to all common chemicals.
The custom sink that is part of the main counters was designed to incorporate a drain board that slides over the sink and can be removed for easy cleaning.
Compared to someone with the space and budget for a dedicated media room, these clients needed a space, which served many functions, and this was the chief challenge for their project.
Overall Results
This project was very successful because it created a multi-purpose work space in which the clients can enjoy working, cooking or simply entertaining.
"With the countertops we selected Zebrawood to accentuate the finish of the adjacent brushed stainless steel counters." |
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