“Queer Eye” designer Bobby Berk isn’t afraid of going bold, and this kitchen in the Vista Santa Fe community in San Diego is no exception. See how Berk layers textures to create a space that feels open yet intimate, classic yet edgy, and bold yet inviting.
1. In this case, our client was a home builder, building out a new community. So while we didn’t have a client that was going to actually live in the home (at the time), we had to create a kitchen that was a showstopper and could appeal to many different clients that would be walking through the house and potentially buying a home in the community. Because of that, we could go a little bit bigger than we would have been able to go with a traditional client. I love the way that we were able to take a color that many people may shy away from and create a kitchen that felt inviting and comfortable.
2. We knew that we wanted it to be a statement and a “wow” moment as soon as you walk through the front door of the home. To achieve the look, we went black on black on black. Black cabinets, black marble and all black appliances. To keep everything from feeling too cold or stark, the dark hues were warmed up with the wood that was placed on the front and back side of the kitchen island. It gives the eye a visual break from all of the black and also helps to ground the entire kitchen and serves as a focal point for the kitchen.
3. Traditionally in a kitchen you’ll find white, stainless steel or maybe even integrated appliances that disappear behind cabinets. But when we found these gorgeous black options from Dacor appliances we knew that we had to use them in the kitchen. Not only did they seamlessly blend with the tones happening throughout the space, but they provided a sleek alternative to stainless or the much more expensive option of integrating them.
