Photography by Kate Sears, unless noted; styling by Kate S. Jordan.
As we try to fathom the fact that it’s already November, we’re revisiting our most popular post of last month, architect Jess Thomas and director-producer Hagan Hinshaw’s Bedford-Stuyvesant, Brooklyn, townhouse redo—see The Sentimental Minimalist.
With the view from the dining table in mind, Thomas designed cabinetry that is the kitchen equivalent of the perfect everyday bespoke suit.
A wide archway connects the approximately 90-square-foot kitchen and the twice-that-size dining room.
In response to a reader s query about what where everything in the compact setup is kept Thomas explained Above the fridge Bosch s custom panel Benchmark we store our blender slow cooker Soda Stream and...
...vases We only use a French press and don t have a microwave The drawers hold a mixture of mixing bowls silverware and cooking pans To be honest we don t have many pots and pans
The cabinet fronts are made of rift sawn white oaks in Benjamin Moore s Midnight Dream a color selected after Thomas and Hinshaw tried out at least 10 other shades We painted 12...
...by 12 inch plywood samples and held them up in different lights We love this color because it changes throughout the day sometimes it looks nearly black and other times it is so blue
For a seamless look, the cabinets have capsule-shaped cutout handles (see the evolution of the design below). The stainless steel sink is the Blanco Quatrus and the pullout faucet is Kohler’s Purist in matte black.
The design gets even more interesting on close inspection.
Matching the graining may seem like a lost effort since it s stained black adds Harmon but that s not the case The veneer was wire brushed prior to staining which lifts out the softer...
...wood fibers and leaves the more hard dense grain lines visible White oak takes this wire brush process better than most woods The subtly of its character steps forward as one enters into the kitchen zone
The range is a Bertazzoni Professional Series 30 Inch with a Bertazzoni four-burner cooktop.
“It can be tough to find pleasing hoods,” says Thomas.
As drawn, the design was a simple U shape.
Photograph by James Harmon.
The Evolution of the Cutout Handle Design
Photograph by James Harmon.
“I think it would easier to use if it had a steeped condition, so your finger would sense a little ridge,” Harmon emailed Thomas. After a technical discussion of rabbets and jigs, a doughnut shape was the next possibility he tried.
Photograph by James Harmon.
The third approach, a rounded section with good grab, was the answer.
The open sink doors display the otherwise hidden sculpture .
Photograph by James Harmon.
Photograph by James Harmon.
Harmon completely fabricated the lower cabinet run in his Brooklyn studio.