This home kitchen in Southeast Bend is an example of this cross between modern and rustic, with touches of industrial hardware.
Baby boomers may recall the popular television show “The Jetsons” and the futuristic family’s ultra-modern lifestyle, which included a household helper named Rosie the Robot. That once-fantastical lifestyle is trending towards reality as kitchens evolve towards high-technological centers.
While high technology is popping up more and more in the kitchen, styles are going back in time. Ultra-white kitchens have been trending the last few years, but designers are now seeing a return to a cross between rustic and modern styles. Contrasting different textures like woods and metals to create a rich and nuanced look, while at the same time incorporating high technology into the kitchen, is all the rage.
The Coupar-Marina home kitchen in Southeast Bend is an example of this cross between modern and rustic, with touches of industrial hardware. Kristin Coupar and her partner Sonia Marina wanted a warm and inviting look for their new home. Pops of color in matte finishes, like their grey kitchen cabinetry, adds depth and warmth, while clean lines of the cabinet design keep the style minimalist. Matte finishes also reduce the appearance of fingerprints and dirt. All the while, the kitchen is designed for high-performance, with the finest in technology and appliances.
A fourteen-foot, single-level black matte quartz island stretches the length of this rectangular kitchen, serving as the center of activity. In the center is a six-burner Thermador stove and double oven, with an inset griddle. As an avid chef, Coupar insisted this arrangement be set into the island, so that the chef at work faces out towards the living room. “When we have guests and I’m cooking, I want to be part of the party and conversation,” says Coupar, a retired law enforcement officer.
The biggest conversation piece in the kitchen is above Coupar as she’s cooking for friends. The custom-made hood/vent is comprised of texturized powder-coated iron around stained wood. This statement piece matches a wall surrounding a wood burning stove in the living room. The layered look that incorporates different metals and woods, provides a laid-back rustic look, and yet has an elegant touch.
To go with this bold industrial style, the couple installed black metal hanging caged pendant lamps that drop over the island. While recessed lighting has been the norm in the past decade in kitchens, pendant lighting is making a comeback. On the cabinetry, they installed the perfect pulls for their cupboards and drawers, with the industrial, gun metal patina look they were going for.
The backsplash for the sink wall is the latest take on subway tiles. Instead of plain white and one dimensional, these tiles are in different hues of grey with angled surface cuts. The couple opted for white granite countertops with veins of grey and black. Sonia Marina demonstrates her smart kitchen faucet that automatically turns on the water with a simple wave of the hand.
Another high-tech built-in appliance the couple installed is the steam oven. Coupar demonstrates how her new steam oven works, pointing out a special section that holds the water for the steam to permeate food as it bakes. The steam keeps foods moist, reducing the need to add extra fats to baked goods.
A weathered grey barn door next to the kitchen slides away to reveal the butler pantry, where they hide their appliances like the toaster and microwave oven. In this pantry, Coupar shows off her appliance with the most whimsy—a retro Smeg brand refrigerator decorated in the U.S. flag motif.
Handling heating and cooling needs for the couple’s kitchen is a Nest system. This learning thermostat handles home temperatures with efficiency, as well as remotely from computers and phones.
Even with all the newest trends and technological advances that continue to evolve in the modern kitchen, some things like a good old-fashioned meal with family and friends will still remain the same. Whether a quiet night home for two, or with a house full of guests, the Coupar-Marina kitchen shines.
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