Steal This Look: MADE Kitchen in New York

First spotted (and admired) in Elle Decor: the Manhattan loft kitchen of Bronson van Wyck and Andrew Fry, designed by MADE. The state-of-the-art, retro-styled culinary space serves as a laboratory of sorts for van Wyck’s events business, functioning equally well for gatherings of two or fetes of twenty. According to Oliver Freundlich, a founding partner in MADE (along with Ben Bischoff and Brian Papa, classmates from the Yale School of Architecture), “The design concept was inspired by back-of-house kitchens in old European manors; the Idea was to create a space that was functional and grand and service-oriented, all at the same time.”

Because MADE is a fully operational design/build outfit, with a fabrication workshop in Brooklyn, all aspects of the construction—from the cabinets to the custom island to the finishes—were carried out in-house, allowing Freundlich and his perfectionist partners (they all possess an “acute attention to detail,” as they say) to manage and oversee every detail.

Below are ideas for recreating the look; for a complete photo tour and an essay by van Wyck on the design process, go to A Classic Kitchen Renovation on Elle Decor.

Above: The architects tiled the vent hood for an Old World effect; the floor is tumbled limestone; the pot rack is from Urban Archaeology in New York (for a similar—but less pricey—option, go to Enclume). Photo by Tara Striano for Elle Decor.

Above: A tiled arch allows for easy pass-through to the dining room. The commercial-style faucet is from T & S Brass and Bronze Works and the made-to-measure zinc farmhouse sink is from Handcrafted Metal. Photo by Tara Striano for Elle Decor.

Above L: The architects used soapstone for the countertops; for sourcing ideas, go to 10 Easy Pieces: Countertop Picks. Above R: Walls are painted Martha’s Vineyard from Benjamin Moore’s Classic Color Collection.

Above: The push-button light switches from Classic Accents are made of unlaquered brass, which MADE pretreated with saltwater to accelerate the patina process; the Brass Cover Plate shown is $15.95 at Classic Accents. Photo courtesy of MADE.

Above: The refrigerator is clad in chalkboard from New York Blackboard. Photo by Tara Striano for Elle Decor.

Above: All cabinet pulls are white bronze from Rocky Mountain Hardware; the Sash Front Mount Pull is available in a variety of widths.

Above L: According to Freundlich, the best simple (and inexpensive) porcelain socket is the Leviton Porcelain Keyless Fixture; $11.32 at Amazon. Above R: The MADE-fabricated cabinetry is painted Off Black from Farrow & Ball.

Above: Standard-issue subway tiles are laid with black grout; an overhead niche affords additional storage space. Photo courtesy of MADE.

Above: The freestanding island is made from reclaimed pine salvaged from a MADE renovation project; the work surface was stained with food-friendly walnut ink and coated with tung oil to create a richly hued, nontoxic surface. The architects found reclaimed library card-catalog pulls at Robinson’s Antiques. Photo by Tara Striano for Elle Decor.

Above L: Made from walnut husks, Van Dyck Crystals create a natural wood dye when mixed with hot water (the quantity of crystals can be varied to obtain the desire color). Prices start at $7 for a quarter pound bag of Van Dyck Walnut Crystals from Shellac.net. Above R: Circa 1850 Tung Oil, made from the nut of the tung tree, creates a tough, water-resistant seal; $13.63 for a quart at Amazon.