Kitchen | Stainless Steel Option
Peter Zumthor has always been one of my favorite Architects. His work is rooted in purity of both materiality and form and is often described as austere. I’ve always felt that it had an underlying warmth that i’m always striving for myself, even with minimal interiors. Two of his personal kitchens are a huge inspiration to this kitchen. While the style of the house does not lend itself to the massive expanse of glass as his projects show, I did take a cue from him in how we positioned the range and sink so you’re never looking at a wall. You’re always looking at the landscape or facing inward, conversing with those relaxing in the living room.
Secondarily, his use of simple materials really allows you to appreciate each material and focus on the views out. I love the juxtaposition of the cooler, brushed metal against the purity and warmth of the wood. I researched a few other examples as its always good to have a few various reference points but Peter Zumthor’s kitchens will always be first and foremost my inspiration.
Inspiration
Peter Zumthor’s home in the Swiss Alps; Images via Wallpaper
Peter Zumthor’s home in the Swiss Countryside; Image via CGArchitect
Tamsin Johnson is one of my favorite interior designers. Her interiors are always interesting and I was blown away when I first saw this kitchen a few years back. Its still one of my favorites today.
Interior by Tamsin Johnson; Images via Wallpaper
Renderings
So here it is in it’s purest form… all stainless.
First things first, I don’t love the sconce in this version. I plan to do a deep dive on lighting down the road but loved this as a placeholder in brass. It doesn’t have the same effect in this cooler metal tone… Lighting research to come!
It’s hard to capture the true essence of the stainless steel in a rendering - it will never look quite as sleek as this but it’s a good rough approximation. I do love this option but it may be a bit too utilitarian for the ‘heart of the home’. Let’s see if we can lighten it up a bit, shall we?
We’ll start with white Corian. Its subtle but it really does the the edge off a bit.
OK… I like it. Let’s keep pushing the boundaries a bit. We’ll start with Marble…
While it doesn’t look bad, it isn’t as fresh and modern with the marble countertop. It feels a bit mis-matched - like the kitchen doesn’t quite no what it wants to be… on to the next!
Because the house was built in the 70s, i’ve been trying to find a place to use some fun terrazzo. Here’s a test of 2 options - one more neutral and one with a few punches of color… what do you think?
Neither of these terrazzo options really grab my attention but I do think there could be potential here with the right spec. Concrete Collaborative is a fantastic company that has a wide array of options and they do custom work. I’ve used them in my retail career and the finishes are stunning.
After testing these options, if we were to do the kitchen in the stainless, I’d likely pair it with the white corian or a neutral terrazzo custom developed. Those are the two options that would retain what I love about the Zumthor references while keeping it a touch warmer. While I love the full stainless, I do think its a bit too austere for the kitchen. If we don’t use this for our kitchen, i’ll likely file this research away for the basement bar area.
What do you think of the stainless steel? Which countertop would you choose?
Execution
First, a word of warning… I would not recommend doing this in a large kitchen. With a larger space I do think it will feel too much like the commercial kitchen in the back of a restaurant. Where this works well, in my opinion, is in smaller kitchens, bars, wet bars, and office kitchens.
There are a few ways to execute this if you want to try it yourself. The most cost effective solution is actually ikea! They have a metal finish line called Varsta. This would be an ideal option if you did not want to do a metal top (though you could have a metalworker make you a top to match).
A higher end option with an integrated pull is made by Reform. I’ve been extremely impressed with Reform’s offering, however there are some challenges to the appliance panels with this finish. Because of the weight of the metal, there are very few options that will accept the custom panels Reform will make for you. There is a Bosch dishwasher that works (I purchased it in case I went this route!) and you have better luck on French door refrigerators and drawer fridge/freezers as the large fridge door hinges often cannot support the weight. Always check the weight requirements before committing to a finish.
