2019 Kitchen Design Award: Studiobecker

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WHEN STUDIOBECKER considers a project a standout,
it must be exceedingly special. After all, the company—which started out as a bath business in Norway in 1946 and opened its US headquarters in San Francisco in 1987—is renowned for its luxe European kitchens (not to mention its bespoke cabinetry and architectural millwork).

For a client in Los Altos Hills who wanted an “out-of-the-box design,” Jasper Bote, a senior designer at StudioBecker, worked with builder Timothy Komo to bring a singular vision to life. Suspended above the white lavastone-topped work area of the nearly 22-foot-long island is a trio of glass cylinders, each measuring 30 inches in diameter.

The unique units feature glass shelves and sliding doors that swivel all the way around for full access, as well as interior and exterior recessed lighting.
The opposite end of the island is composed of applewood and offers seating, while the steel I-beam along the island’s center echoes the construction of the nearby staircase (and the design of the house itself).

Elsewhere in the open kitchen, a smaller island contains the primary sink; the elevated back of the island ingeniously serves as a buffet cabinet for the adjacent dining room. More storage comes courtesy of the “white box”, a tall birdseye maple piece that includes a pantry, integrated refrigerator and ovens. As if that isn’t cool enough, it’s also equipped with a hidden door that provides access to a butler’s pantry. That’s thinking outside the box. – Anh-Minh Le