Modern Scandi
Posted by Erdem Gorgun at
Extra-tall maple cabinets with concealed hardware give a seamless look to the kitchen. Marmi Maxfine, a porcelain material with subtle veining that looks like marble, was repeated on the island and backsplash. Cabinets, Atelier Aktuel; contracting, Capital 6
Question :What was your starting point?
SANDRINE LUCIER: This kitchen is in a three-storey duplex in Montreal, and we didn’t add any square footage. We opened up an existing wall between the kitchen and dining areas, and relocated a bathroom.
Q:What was the homeowners’ vision?
SL: They wanted a modern look that still had some warmth. They have two young children and they like to have family and friends over; we decided to keep a lot of space between the island and the dining table so the kids have room to run around and play.
Q: Were there any challenges during the renovation?
SL: The black pendants over the dining table are adjustable and they look great — but it took many attempts to install them correctly! The brick wall next to the dining area was already exposed, but it wasn’t in very good shape so we had to refinish it. The contractor also had a challenge working with the uneven floor to make everything level.
Q:How did you come up with the unusual open shelving detail on the island?
SL:When we were sketching the island, we thought it looked a bit boring. We started to play around and realized that the shelves add a lot to the look. They’re also a creative way to integrate the table with the island.
Q: How did you visually connect the kitchen and dining areas?
SL: We used the same maple on the kitchen cabinets and the table attached to the island, and repeated it on the banquette seating and table in the dining area. The f looring in the kitchen is large porcelain tile that looks like slate and, in the dining area, we used light maple f looring. The spaces are open to one another, so we made the flooring transition line up with the entrance to the sliding doors.