When Moceri Custom Homes reached out to the team and me at KSI Kitchen & Bath to collaborate again on the design of a new luxury kitchen, I was excited to see if we could achieve the success of our nationally recognized work in the previous year. Would lightning strike twice?!
The project was what Moceri Custom Homes calls their Modern Prairie style design, a stunning new construction ranch home with an expansive open floor plan.
After viewing the plans for the new build, we quickly began envisioning a modern design with prairie-inspired, true-brown wood tones, a splash of drama, and lots of natural textures. We selected Dura Supreme’s Bria frameless cabinetry in the Carson door style, achieving a warm feel with Quarter-sawn White Oak in the “Morel” stain finish. Then we added a dash of the “Onyx” stain on the Maple wood species to add some intriguing contrast to a few accent areas.
My personal goal with this kitchen design was to be creative with storage and not just fill the room with pretty cabinets but with highly-functional cabinets that make the most out of every square inch while also looking beautiful. To help keep the countertops clutter-free, I created dedicated work zones for various tasks. This project included several hidden work areas for specific tasks. A fully functional coffee station and smoothie prep station are hidden inside the cabinetry on the fridge wall. We were able to create a beautiful aesthetic that also brought a highly functional workspace to the design.
Clever Coffee Bar with a Pantry Wall Look
This elegant pantry wall is packed full with concealed features, including a hidden refrigerator, freezer, coffee bar larder, and smoothie station larder! A lot of thought and detail went into ensuring that when the cabinet doors are closed, the coffee bar and smoothie station are concealed seamlessly to look like a wall of pantry cabinets.
For durability, we used a black granite countertop for the interior of the larder cabinets. The pocket door system was engineered onsite to make sure the counters are hidden when the cabinet doors are closed. My cabinet installer and I worked very closely prior to installation to ensure their function.
Kitchen Island Integrates Wine Fridge for Easy Entertaining
The kitchen island has a waterfall countertop but not the typical over-the-end-cap look. Instead, the end cap of the kitchen island is highlighted beautifully with a mini double waterfall countertop in a dark black leather quartz that contrasts the lighter quartz counter used for the rest of the kitchen island. The double waterfall side frames an integrated wine fridge. Creating this look was an intricate design challenge. I had to reduce the depth of the front kitchen island cabinets to make room for the full-depth wine fridge and then added trim above the cabinets to increase the overall height of the counter due to the change in materials for the island countertops.
The contrasting double waterfall island side creates an exciting dark accent with black “Onyx” stained maple cabinets. The black stain finish is incorporated throughout the kitchen as an accent color for the interior of the glass cabinets, the wall behind the floating shelves, and the interiors of the hidden workstation cabinets. The entire kitchen island features four waterfall sides; two in quartzite to match the hood and two in leathered black quartz to match the perimeter countertops.
Quartzite Hood Heightens Interest
The quartzite wall and hood create a stunning centerpiece in this kitchen design that tie into the kitchen island beautifully and make a dramatic statement. Envisioning this look was one thing, but engineering it was another! It was important to ensure the massive quartzite hood was supported properly by the surrounding cabinetry.
The integrated quartz shelf above the range adds function and visual interest to the quartz wall. It’s a delicate detail that creates a gorgeous & functional place for frequently used spices & oils close-at-hand for the chef of the household.
We designed a contrasting “Onyx” stained finish on Maple for the interior of all the glass cabinets and the open floating shelf area to add visual contrast to the quartzite and depth to the cabinet design.
Representing the Best in American Living
Our efforts to create a beautiful kitchen design with creative storage paid off! The National Association of Home Builders (NAHB) recognized this luxury kitchen with the Platinum award in the Interior Architecture & Design: Kitchen, Production/Spec category at the 2022 Best in American Living Awards! It’s an incredible honor to be recognized by my peers in the home building industry for my work with Moceri Homes crafting this elegant and functional Dura Supreme kitchen.
Kitchen Design: Sandra Daubenmeyer of KSI Kitchen & Bath, Macomb, Michigan. Learn more at: https://ksikitchens.com.
Builder: Moceri Custom Homes
Cabinets: Dura Supreme Cabinetry’s Carson cabinet door style in the “Morel” stain on Quarter-Swan White Oak and “Onyx” stain on Maple finishes.
Photography: Martin Vecchio Photography