Camouflage Cool

Author:Lindsey Shook

Cooper Pacific Kitchens works with Schoos Design to conceal a cool, custom kitchen

“The focus was to make the kitchen not look like a kitchen,” says Steven Cooper, owner of Cooper Pacific Kitchens, on the design of this super-sleek kitchen inside a penthouse at the W Austin, which he and his team designed with L.A. designer Thomas Schoos of Schoos Design. Tailored for a bachelor who likes to entertain, the design directive was sultry, playful and imaginative. “The penthouse residence was envisioned as a space to detox and retox,” notes Schoos. “We curated it as a gallery of eclectic art and furnishings that mimic the creativity and quirkiness of not only the hotel, but Austin itself.”

Cooper and his team fabricated custom cabinets out of rustic oak imported from German forests in a dark and moody palette and achieved great ingenuity with the design of a Swiss pocket-door system that completely covers all the appliances. “The client doesn’t cook so it was important to camouflage the technology while being mindful about space and dimension,” says Cooper. The innovative cabinets even house a rare German humidor, the perfect jewel for a posh bachelor pad.

Rugged Concrete by Caesarstone covers every inch of the elongated island, which is equipped with a Pitt Cooking burner set integrated directly into the countertop. That same stone dances up a wall behind a Waterworks faucet, making a stylish backdrop for a 65-inch drop-down television. To balance the industrial edge, Schoos lined the island with a set of sculptural stools by Anna Karlin and hung two antique French tapestries.

Cooper’s custom creations continued beyond the kitchen into the bathrooms and master closet. More enchanting details are prevalent in the marble-clad powder room, which features a vanity by Cooper and a mirror that feels more like art. Moving into the master bedroom, Schoos and his team designed three art-covered panels hung on a Fleetwood track that open to reveal the sexy master bathroom. “The concept was so cool,” notes Cooper of the mitered stone sinks that sit below faucets that emerge from the ceiling. The final result was an incredible infusion of art and design.