Who needs handles?

I eliminated the need for cabinet handles or pulls in my kitchen by designing cut-out openings that allow you to grasp the door or drawer and open it. The pattern of openings become a design element: creating interest, yet still sleek and unfussy.

Ok, I admit, I didn't come up with this idea all on my own! At my architecture firm, Bohl Architects, we've been integrating this design detail into our projects for many years. At left is the Baltimore Loft kitchen of principal architect Chip Bohl.

In this guest room, Chip designed a built-in armoir that takes this idea even further.

Kitchen - Finished!

It's been more than 8 months since the addition was completed, and I am just getting around to posting photos of the final result! I blame our extended stay in Argentina, but that's not a great excuse. We love the addition and new kitchen - it's great to finally have space to spread out. It's perfect for cooking and homework.

Materials:
Granite Counter Tops
Stainless Steel Sink & Faucet
Custom Cherry Cabinet Fronts & Shelving
Ikea Cabinets
Slate Floor Tile
Glass Backsplash Tile

Kitchen Update

The kitchen is almost done - just a few odds and ends to complete. The cherry door and drawer fronts are installed. They have curved cut-outs instead of door and drawer pulls. The sides of the island are tiled in the same glass tile as the backsplash. We plan to unpack our kitchen boxes this weekend, so we will have something to put on those shelves...

The pendant light fixtures are from Niche Modern. The cherry shelving and door and drawer fronts are custom made, but the cabinets are from Ikea. The glass tile on the island and backsplash is Genoa Champagne 2"x8" from Medici Mosaics.

The Riga wall sconces are from Fontana Arte. The counter tops are Bianco Romano granite from Brazil.

The indoor/outdoor see-through fireplace is the Twilight II from Heat & Glo (it's not finished yet).

We re-used all of the appliances from our previous kitchen.

Counter Tops & Light Fixtures

 



We're progressing slowly but surely. On the first floor the counter tops and light fixtures are in and the painting is pretty much done. Today they started the floors, and the gas fireplace and cherry cabinet doors will be installed soon.

The pendant lights are by Niche Modern.

The stainless steel sink is by Blanco.

 The Purist pullout faucet is by Kohler.

The granite is Bianco Romano from Brazil.

Ideas - Kitchen Bar

I had the different parts of this bar fabricated, and we installed it ourselves. I designed the brackets and had them made by a local metal fabricator. We painted them silver to match the bar stools. The top is fireslate. We screwed the brackets to the back panel of the cabinets, and then glued the top down with construction adhesive.

When designing a bar you just have to remember that bar stools come in two seat heights - for counters and bars. Kitchen counters are usually 36" high and bars are around 42" high.

These bar stools are from Design Within Reach.

Ideas - More Display Shelves

We only have a few overhead cabinets in our kitchen, mainly because I added three windows where most people would probably put more cabinets. I wanted to bring the outside into the house as much as possible, and the view of the woods behind our house is really nice. To create more storage space, I had a glass company make curved shelves from 3/8" glass - the kind you would use for the top of a coffee table. I mounted these just above eye-level in front of the windows on brackets I bought at Ikea. It's a handy storage area for stuff that's nice to look at.