4 Gorgeous Kitchens

Service and style are on the menu for 2019

Kitchens are being pressed into extra duty in mountain homes today. Not only do they need to be functional for meal preparation, storage and entertaining, they must be drop-dead supermodel gorgeous, with nary a tool or gadget out of place or superfluous detail to spoil the picture.

That’s a tall order for architects, designers and space planners, who need to provide homeowners with the required utility while tying all the elements seamlessly into the home’s overall design.

Appliances blend into the cabinetry and walls, there are fewer upper cabinets, and items such as microwave ovens and beverage refrigerators are moving under counters to keep view planes open. 

“Homeowners want to do a lot of entertaining without clutter,” says architect Jamie Daugaard, whose Big Sky, Montana, client also wanted to make sure she had great views while she was cooking. Her kitchen and these three additional projects capitalize on their mountain locations and design flourishes that make them both functional and fashionable.

Photo by Kat Alves

A lakefront 1970s California condominium in North Lake Tahoe needed a major update to give it the clean Scandinavian feel its owners craved in the kitchen. The original beams were painted white, and new clear pine walls were treated to a whitewashed finish. The island and counters have white Corian tops; open shelving continues the spare aesthetic, as does the dimensional tile backsplash, Miele and Sub-Zero appliances and Grohe faucet. Walnut tractor-seat stools by BassamFellows invite guests to linger, and Original BTC pendants lend an industrial feel. In the dining area, a whimsical Moooi chandelier hangs over the Carl Hansen & Son table and Eames chairs by Herman Miller. Artwork by Penny Olson provides a bright note.  

ARCHITECT: Curtis Popp, CPopp Workshop

Photo by Kimberly Gavin

When a European couple with a young child set out to renovate the kitchen in their Beaver Creek, Colorado, home at Greystone, they enlisted Margaret Selzer of River + Lime in Denver to lighten, brighten and make the space more functional. The layout keeps decorative and functional items on view with open shelves above the countertop and on the corners of the Caesarstone island. Functional storage is built into floor-to-ceiling rustic white oak cabinetry on opposing walls. A bar-height wooden table attached to the island is a spot for casual meals and entertaining, with leather swivel stools by Four Hands adding a Western touch. 

DESIGNER: Margaret Selzer, River + Lime
BUILDER: Custom Refinements

Photo by Whitney Kamman

Architect Jamie Daugaard of Centre Sky created a hub for cooking and entertaining in this modern rustic Moonlight Basin home in Big Sky, Montana, that features a two-sided fireplace surrounded by field-stone. The oversized island is made of a granite slab quarried in Montana; it rests on a base of rustic walnut, roomy enough for a half-dozen Cross Back stools by Park Hill. Hubbardton Forge’s pendant lights illuminate the space. Perimeter cabinets are knotty alder, and the floors throughout are sculpted character oak. Not visible is a butler’s pantry with extra counter space and storage.

ARCHITECT: Jamie Daugaard, Centre Sky Architecture

Photo by Kimberly Gavin

The mix of rough materials such as reclaimed wood and steel with refined details creates the perfect family home for living and entertaining at the C Lazy U Ranch. The roomy island features a walnut slab on the side where guests sit, and poured-and-stained concrete on the other. Reclaimed barnwood was used for the cabinet bases, refrigerator front and pantry, while the floors are of reclaimed oak. The Thermador range features a cold-rolled steel backsplash with hidden touch-activated spice storage rack. Industrial-inspired light fixtures hang above the island. 

ARCHITECT: Wendy Lind, Axial Arts Architecture
DESIGNER: Rebecca Kaufman, Rebal Design
KITCHEN DESIGNER:  Jason McConathy, New Mountain Design