Kitchen of the Week: An Austin Galley Kitchen Opens Up

A built-in china cabinet and cozy breakfast nook sit toward the back of the kitchen, which overlooks the owner's lovely back terrace. Open shelving makes organizing and display easy. "I know the owner enjoys playing around with the arrangement of collections behind the X-mullion doors," says Black.

Flooring: Ann Sacks French Blue limestone; display cabinet paint: White Dove, Benjamin Moore; chairs: Donghia; cushion: Fabric.com

Black kept the end wall near the existing corner window open and streamlined so the owner could make coffee and light snacks. The team updated the window with custom white oak shelves to match the countertop. The original design squashed the sink into this corner too, but Black moved it to the wall and placed the dishwasher right next to it.

Larger-than-usual subway backsplash tile — 4 by 8 inches instead of 3 by 6 inches — plays with the scale of the kitchen wall. "I like that the tile covers the whole wall, as in an older Parisian bistro or bakery," says Black.

Countertops: white oak, DeVos Custom Woodworking; cabinetry: Richard Macdonald, FabShop; tile: Ann Sacks; cabinetry paint: Sweet Pear, Benjamin Moore

A custom cabinet surrounds the refrigerator to help it blend in, and a 12-inch-deep floor-to-ceiling pantry keeps ingredients handy on the other side of the fridge.

A built-in surround for the vent hood also blends with the kitchen cabinetry. The design team allowed for just enough counter space on either side of the oven for basic prep, with 30-inch-deep cabinets underneath for baking sheets and other cooking necessities.

Hood: Bosch; refrigerator: Fischer Paykel; range: Bertazzoni

The kitchen has a long and skinny layout, which presented a challenge for placing appliances. Black and Soster wanted to increase the kitchen's overall efficiency while adding more counter space; placing the refrigerator and stove on one side of the kitchen and the sink and dishwasher on the other proved to be the best solution.

The classic cabinetry combines a flush inset style with modern slab doors. Legs added to the bottom of the units give them a furniture feel.

Hardware, lighting: Alexander Marchant; sink: apron front, Shaws; faucet: Hansgrohe