Journal Entry No. 10
My green kitchen.
My kitchen was always going to be green. I had fallen for the idea of a green kitchen long before I knew I was going to renovate my childhood home. The design for the home started in 2016, before the green kitchen trend took off - and I’m glad it did as the breaking away from the white kitchen is a welcome sight. I have been asked countless times to disclose what colour green my cabinets are and, though it’s an out of the box green and nothing proprietary, I urge people to find their own green that works in their context rather than copy and paste this - or anyone else’s green - into their space. I do specify the colour green, as well as other beloved product in my kitchen, later in this entry.
The design of the kitchen came out of a desire to share our food with others. As this was a renovation of my childhood home and one intended for multi-generational living, we had many years of cooking in the kitchen behind us to inform how we wanted the kitchen to work for the future. The kitchen is primarily all along one wall and open to the living room with a custom nine foot dining table serving as both island and seating. I designed and had this table made from the old beams of our home and it’s a pleasure to both eat and work at this piece of functional history. Wondering where the refrigerator is? It’s tucked in the pantry just to the right of the picture below.
The kitchen looks out on to our beloved garden, one we’ve been tending to my whole life. The green of the kitchen is an echo - perhaps ode - to this garden and the joy that it brings.
The dining table was made by a local craftsperson using the old beams from the 1912 house.
The pantry - critical to workflow and keeping sight-lines tidy from the living room.
I began my search for the perfect green by pulling together references from deVol Kitchens in the UK who had showcased a couple of gorgeous projects featuring green kitchens. As I design for context as well as beauty and function, I was drawn to green as a reflection of my garden and the overarching lushness of the West Coast. I lean toward earthy colours as I think they have a longer staying power and this particular shade of green, ‘Forest Floor’ by Benjamin Moore, has a lovely bit of dirt rubbed into it.
Mixing metals is key to creating an approachable space and, as there can be a dominance of stainless steel in a kitchen, I prefer layering warmer metal tones through lighting and cabinetry hardware. Emtek’s rail pull in tumbled white bronze was an easy choice, for it too has an earthiness to it and wears well in a hard-working kitchen like this one. As a nod to my Italian roots, I knew I wanted a countertop that had the essence of Carrara marble with the practicality of use (though I do love a well-used marble countertop), so I decided on Silestone’s ‘Lagoon’ fairly early on as it captures that marble-like depth. The backsplash tile is from Fireclay Tile, it’s their picket series in ‘Frost’ which is a lovely creamy white with a subtle crackle texture - a classic shape to compliment the traditional bones of the space.
That is how this green kitchen came to be and I’ve enjoyed breakfasts, lunches and dinners as well as many moments in between ever since: preparing meals for the family, hosting Italian cooking workshops or an impromptu lunch with a friend, the kitchen is the spot for gathering and sharing. I hope it has inspired others to look for a colour reflective of who they are, what they love and where they live, may it be green or any other colour of the rainbow.
Rolling up my sleeves for a Fatto x Casa workshop!
Photo by Janis Nicolay
Of course, my design would have stayed on the page had it not been for the talented crew of craftspeople, artisans and trades that worked to bring it to life - a designer is nothing with out the extended team of dedicated people tasked with realizing our vision and I feel their presence at my table whenever I’m in my green kitchen.
“Created by artisans for the pleasures of your life.”