A Wine Country Kitchen

This newly…

renovated kitchen is the centerpiece of a home in Sonoma, California’s Russian River Valley wine region, an area famed for its cool climate grapes, and world-class examples of Chardonnay and Pinot Noir. Combining functionality and elegance, it is a tour de force of space-saving ingenuity impeccably planned by Lynne Millar Design – almost inch by inch – as a visually uncluttered workspace.

The overarching …

challenge was to maximize kitchen counter space while transforming the room into an aesthetic work of design, combining natural stone and European white oak for a modern two-tone effect. A combination of honeyed-hued wood and swirling, purple-veined Calacatta Viola marble, the overall effect creates a connection between space and experience, conveying warmth, artistry, and a sense of escapism.

The Ontario…

born Millar is renowned for her knowledge of 3D visualization and custom millwork design and is especially talented in the use of materials to optimize a sense of spatial depth and height in a way that invites visual intrigue. While this kitchen project is reductive in spirit, it is not strictly minimalist, as it incorporates an array of textured finishes and handcrafted details to strong tactile effect. It was considered particularly important to let the material palette shine, hence the decision to opt out of traditional wall cabinetry. A perfect example of the truth to material ethos.

Kitchens …

are especially challenging to keep tidy and organized, but this one is a masterstroke of creative hidden storage solutions, thanks to an array of ergonomic features, including concealed double drawers for cutlery, utensils, and tableware, recessed shelving for decorative items and small appliances, inconspicuous under-counter units for larger appliances and out-of-sight island cabinetry. There’s even a sleek stainless steel spice ledge tucked behind the stove. A vented fan above the stove is encased in a swath of white, painted in the same easy-to-clean finish as the walls to reduce visual clutter and accentuate the kitchen’s high vaulted ceiling.

Of particular note is the economic use of slim ceiling beams, which, along with the all-white paintwork, allow more natural light to flood into the room. The finishing touch is a trio of spherical mirrored pendant lights by Tom Dixon, which act as statement-making sculptures in this otherwise natural-material-focused space. The result is a stunning kitchen that successfully celebrates the connection between art, craft, and cuisine for a pair of wine connoisseurs in the heart of wine country.