Get the Look: Kitchen Couture
Bold textures and a dynamic palate elevate this showstopper of a kitchen in Long Cove.
Story by Barry Kaufman + Photography by Lisa Staff
If there’s one thing that is abundantly clear about the home that designer Chrystal Cuddyre envisioned for herself, it’s that there isn’t a dull room in the house. Each space of this Long Cove home breathes in the vibrant artistic motif she created, with each interpreting that motif in different and brilliant ways. This kitchen stands as a sterling example of that ethos.
The showpiece of this space is the boldly monochromatic center island set in Black Swan quartz. As a key element to the overall design of the kitchen, this was a crucial piece of décor to get right. And Cuddyre turned over every stone to find it. Literally.
“We went through the entire marble yard, and I was just about to leave, when the sales person brought this out,” she said. “It was the last one I saw.”
It was worth the search, as the swirling ribbons of black and white on the counter create an organic counterpoint to the rigid lines of the cabinetry, with patterned wallpaper that breaks the monochromatic theme of the room.
To open the space up, while still allowing for ample storage, Cuddyre had the inspired idea to hang floating shelves across the windows on either side of the range hood. This not only added an eye-catching window dressing element, it allowed Cuddyre to introduce metallic tones to the palate.
“I wanted to frame them, because I thought the windows looked naked without something there,” she said, “And having brought that gold accent in through the sink and light fixtures, I decided to pull that onto the frame.”
And as one last element in the push-and-pull between rigid forms and organic lines, a resin-topped table serves to pull it all together, introducing organic wood grains while echoing the free-flowing lines of the quartz counters.
“I knew that I wanted a black and white house. I wanted the cabinets to be black and wanted gold accents because I really like bold design,” she said. “This was all a gamble, but I’m a designer, and this was my big chance to do something.”
