Kitchen of the Week: Earthy Contemporary Style With an Open Plan
A design-build team creates a light and airy space with sleek style, smart appliances and an island with roomy seating
After buying a home on a quiet street in Sunnyvale, California, this couple wanted to transform its dated 1974 Mediterranean-style kitchen into something that felt worthy of the forward-thinking Silicon Valley location.
For help, they hired design-build professional Bar Benbenisty and designer Maryia Bazhenka, who together set about taking down walls and removing aging oak cabinets and other throwback features. They expanded the footprint into a former dining room and created an open plan that combines the kitchen, dining area and living room. They then added a new structural beam to vault the ceiling, giving the room a light and airy feel.
Custom matte black and rich wood cabinets and wood-look flooring combine with fresh white finishes to create an earthy contemporary style. Smart appliances, a large island with seating and durable marble-look porcelain countertops firmly secure the space in the modern era.
For help, they hired design-build professional Bar Benbenisty and designer Maryia Bazhenka, who together set about taking down walls and removing aging oak cabinets and other throwback features. They expanded the footprint into a former dining room and created an open plan that combines the kitchen, dining area and living room. They then added a new structural beam to vault the ceiling, giving the room a light and airy feel.
Custom matte black and rich wood cabinets and wood-look flooring combine with fresh white finishes to create an earthy contemporary style. Smart appliances, a large island with seating and durable marble-look porcelain countertops firmly secure the space in the modern era.
The new island offers roomy seating for four and features a durable marble-look Calacatta Borghini porcelain countertop with waterfall edges. “We used three slabs,” Benbenisty says. “This looks great and was their first choice. Our designer went with the customers to the slab store and picked the actual slabs that went in their kitchen.”
Three barely there black-and-brass contemporary metal cylinder pendants provide task lighting over the island. Storage cabinets behind the stools hold seasonal items. New LED ceiling cans and undercabinet LED strips add layers of lighting.
Shop for bar stools and counter stools
Three barely there black-and-brass contemporary metal cylinder pendants provide task lighting over the island. Storage cabinets behind the stools hold seasonal items. New LED ceiling cans and undercabinet LED strips add layers of lighting.
Shop for bar stools and counter stools
The island also contains a large undermount sink.
The backsplash is made up of matte white ceramic tiles with a raised profile, set in a chevron pattern. “We initially thought about sending the countertop to the backsplash all the way around, but with Maryia’s help we decided to go with the backsplash tiles,” Benbenisty says. “These give a good contrast, instead of going with the same material as the countertops.”
A 36-inch smart induction touch-control cooktop sits below a 36-inch stainless steel wall-mounted range hood. A 30-inch smart electric wall oven and microwave combination and a 30-inch smart electric single oven with convection are to the left.
Backsplash tiles: Look collection, Museum Surfaces
The backsplash is made up of matte white ceramic tiles with a raised profile, set in a chevron pattern. “We initially thought about sending the countertop to the backsplash all the way around, but with Maryia’s help we decided to go with the backsplash tiles,” Benbenisty says. “These give a good contrast, instead of going with the same material as the countertops.”
A 36-inch smart induction touch-control cooktop sits below a 36-inch stainless steel wall-mounted range hood. A 30-inch smart electric wall oven and microwave combination and a 30-inch smart electric single oven with convection are to the left.
Backsplash tiles: Look collection, Museum Surfaces
The interior side of the island includes a paneled trash and recycling center and a 24-inch smart dishwasher.
A sliding glass door connects the expanded kitchen to the backyard. “The kitchen before was completely separated from the entire house,” Benbenisty says. “The backyard was only accessible from the dining and living room area.”
A sliding glass door connects the expanded kitchen to the backyard. “The kitchen before was completely separated from the entire house,” Benbenisty says. “The backyard was only accessible from the dining and living room area.”
Wide drawers below the cooktop have custom storage solutions for pots and pans and other cooking essentials. “The hidden handles make it easy to pull them open,” Benbenisty says. “It’s also much easier to clean a drawer with no handle. The push-to-open doors on the cabinets also make it easy to access items inside when hands are full.”
The kitchen cabinets extend into the dining area to form a storage niche with a serving counter. Glass-front upper cabinets display the homeowners’ finer dishware.
A pullout pantry on the left has adjustable shelves for dry goods and small appliances.
A Sputnik-style chandelier hangs over the midcentury-style wood dining table and chairs. “This kitchen gives them a lot more open space and space to cook, entertain and enjoy seating together,” Benbenisty says.
More on Houzz
Read more kitchen stories
Browse kitchen photos
Hire a kitchen remodeler
Shop for kitchen products
A pullout pantry on the left has adjustable shelves for dry goods and small appliances.
A Sputnik-style chandelier hangs over the midcentury-style wood dining table and chairs. “This kitchen gives them a lot more open space and space to cook, entertain and enjoy seating together,” Benbenisty says.
More on Houzz
Read more kitchen stories
Browse kitchen photos
Hire a kitchen remodeler
Shop for kitchen products
Kitchen at a Glance
Who lives here: A couple with a young child
Location: Sunnyvale, California
Size: 370 square feet (34 square meters), including dining and living areas
Design-build team: Project manager Bar Benbenisty and designer Maryia Bazhenka of Barcci Builders
The updated kitchen spans a rear wall in a lofty layout that combines a dining area and living room. Sleek matte black cabinets and island base help define the kitchen in the open plan. Clean lines, white finishes, wood-look vinyl flooring, a bank of wood upper cabinets in a chocolatey brown stain and other wood details create an earthy contemporary look.
Wall, ceiling and trim paint: Chantilly Lace, Benjamin Moore
Find kitchen remodelers near you