August 2013
FOUR GREAT SMALL WHITE KITCHENS:
One Big Thing in Common
This month, the editors at Houzz made us proud when they selected a West Village studio kitchen that Best & Company renovated with interior designer Damon Liss as their "Kitchen of the Week." Housed in a landmark apartment building overlooking historic Jackson Square Park, this well-considered renovation serves as a welcome reminder that the best living spaces are not always the biggest.
Here’s a look at four of our favorite small white kitchens—all part of extensive renovation projects recently completed by the team from Best & Company. Each has a style all its own. And each bears our hallmark commitment to quality—with thoughtful planning, timeless materials, and expert execution and installation.
^ West Village Studio: The location (in a Bing & Bing building) was 5 stars and irresistible. The interior…not so much. Working with Damon Liss Design, our team pared the prewar studio down to the studs, a move that resulted in a brighter, better-organized interior without altering the footprint. The streamlined kitchen magnifies light with reflective surfaces—lacquer cabinetry, quartzite countertops, Nano glass backsplash, and perfectly proportioned stainless-steel appliances. We framed the passageway in bleached oak, creating a sense of transition from main living space to kitchen without blocking light or traffic flow. Result: Five-Star kitchen.
^ Inside the Eldorado: Earlier this year, this classic English-inspired galley kitchen was named one of ArchitecturalDigest.com’s “Top Five Reader Kitchens.” Working with designer Alexander Doherty, our team renovated the apartment—housed in the Eldorado, one of Manhattan’s most revered prewar residential buildings—top to bottom, to better reflect the owner’s style. High on our client's wish list was this beautiful, well-functioning kitchen—with custom cabinetry (created in our own woodworking shops); a multitasking dining/working/entertaining area, with custom banquette; and high-performance appliances. All this and proximity to Central Park….
^ Upper East Side Prewar: Understated interiors call for a custom blend of the finest “ingredients” and craftsmanship. In the Upper East Side apartment of a NY interior designer, black-and-white checks invigorate the galley kitchen. In a nod to the 1923 building’s prewar heritage, the checkerboard floor is carried out in retro (and environmentally friendly) linoleum tile. The pro-style white-enameled range and black built-in dishwasher carry the subtle period theme to the work area—where a thick slab of gray-veined marble pulls everything together gracefully.
^ The Ardsley: The building had an Emery Roth pedigree and Central Park views, but the apartment’s interior was long overdue for an update. Our dramatic gut-renovation included the creation of a new galley kitchen, designed for an owner who wanted a space where she could not only gather with family, but also entertain guests in style. Lacquered wood cabinetry (crafted in our own workshops) provides a logical place for everything from laptops to cookware. Bright white surfaces and stainless-steel appliances are warmed by natural wood—the perfect complement to the location.