Zinc Range Hood and a Limestone Fireplace Create a Timeless Look
A designer uses weathered materials to fashion a new classic kitchen for her family in Walnut Creek, California
Omski-Talwar retained the kitchen’s original layout but enlarged the island and demolished a pantry that faced the fireplace. The fireplace itself got quite a face-lift too: What was once dark brick veneer is now white limestone. The stone ledges had to be special-ordered because the color wasn’t readily available and her local vendor couldn’t find slabs large enough. In the end, as it sometimes happens, the delivery cost more than the stone itself.
The two windows bordering the sink were made smaller for the sake of symmetry and covered with woven wood window shades.
Find wood shades for your home
Find wood shades for your home
Omski-Talwar was looking at countertop materials for a client several years ago when she came across the granite slab that is now on her own countertop. She loved its mix of warm and cool tones and the leather finish created by a chemical process that causes the softer part of the stone to recede, for a more three-dimensional look.
She purchased four slabs of the granite without any specific plans to remodel the kitchen and held on to them for a year until she put the rest of the design together. Ultimately, the slabs replaced the pink countertops that were there, and dated maple cabinets made way for flat-panel doors in a cream color with an antique glaze that reads white.
She purchased four slabs of the granite without any specific plans to remodel the kitchen and held on to them for a year until she put the rest of the design together. Ultimately, the slabs replaced the pink countertops that were there, and dated maple cabinets made way for flat-panel doors in a cream color with an antique glaze that reads white.
The original copper shell of a hood was replaced by a custom one in zinc with removable baffles for washing. Omski-Talwar didn’t want anything too shiny or patterned, so the textural zinc was her happy medium. As a designer, she placed aesthetics as a top concern, but for her husband, “it was all about BTUs and CFMs.” He loves to cook and is “beyond happy” with his six-burner stove.
Browse range hoods
Browse range hoods
The hefty dining table is original to the house. Its top is several inches thick with a wood inlay on three edges only, inviting speculation that it once could have been part of a bowling alley floor. The legs are made out of structural rebar. It took four men to move the piece during construction.
Omski-Talwar felt the room was about 2 feet too short to comfortably accommodate its three zones — kitchen, dining, and fireside. Luckily, removing the gargantuan maple cabinet gave her an additional 16 inches. Removing the cabinet also allowed her to center the table properly on the windows. To finish off the dining zone, she painted a large-scale abstract artwork to hang in place of the cabinet.
Omski-Talwar felt the room was about 2 feet too short to comfortably accommodate its three zones — kitchen, dining, and fireside. Luckily, removing the gargantuan maple cabinet gave her an additional 16 inches. Removing the cabinet also allowed her to center the table properly on the windows. To finish off the dining zone, she painted a large-scale abstract artwork to hang in place of the cabinet.
With the cabinet gone, Omski-Talwar needed a new home for her collection of crystal from Poland, copper from India and other artifacts from her travels. She also wanted a furniture-like transition piece between the hearth and the cabinetry, where there used to be a built-in desk and a barrel for firewood. The vintage-style glass cabinet was pure serendipity here. Omski-Talwar added LED lights behind each shelf to showcase her treasures.
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The Many Ways to Get Creative With Kitchen Hoods
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Kitchen at a Glance
Who lives here: A designer and her husband, a dentist, with two of their three children. (The third just started medical school.)
Location: Walnut Creek, California
Size: About 500 square feet (about 46.5 square meters)
Designer: Ania Omski-Talwar of Ania Omski-Talwar Interior Design
After more than 17 years living in her Walnut Creek, California, home, designer Ania Omski-Talwar says the original kitchen was in need of a loving makeover. Though the project had various challenges, the toughest part of the kitchen renovation was replacing the flooring. There was an odd change of levels between the hallway and the original kitchen, and when the engineered hardwood was ripped out, she found out why: The thick subfloor was covered with 12-by-12-inch cork tiles that had been glued down tight. They splintered and yielded in tiny chips and took the contractor “forever” to fully demolish it.
Though they look convincingly original to the 1953 Mediterranean-inspired home, the designer added the reclaimed wood ceiling beams to visually lower the ceiling and make the space feel cozier. The beams are covered in a three-layer stain that Omski-Talwar applied herself.