high tech

A new house in Calgary overlooking the foothills and Rocky Mountain range is the location of this high-tech kitchen.

The clients are an imaginative, creative young couple with small children. Their request was for a space that was a home for the daily family functions as well as an entertaining place for small and large groups of friends.

A prominent feature of the kitchen was to be a cappuccino machine, plumbed into the island to serve company seated at the breakfast bar. The countertop spaces had to wide enough to hold catering trays and the arteries and work spaces must be convenient for two cooks.

Aesthetically, they wanted it to be both inviting and exciting; consistent with the other spaces of the home.

The adjoining great room had vaulted ceilings with one expansive wall of glass, twenty-six feet high. Also, it featured heavy, simple columns, an exquisite fireplace and large wall areas where huge paintings hung.

Their choice for appliances was industrial; stainless steel commercial look 48" Sub-Zero fridge and professional look Thermador range with matching backsplash and hood. The cabinets were finished in a high gloss laminate imported from Europe. It had a subtle pattern that added texture to the area.

Into this sleek backdrop was positioned a stunning island. It featured a curved exterior wall supporting stainless steel posts that held a floating slab of granite mirroring the wall below.

This sweep of gloss was embellished with curved bulkheads, serpentine band of lights above and contemporary round stools.

The final effect is striking with subtle grey matching tiles in an angled pattern on the backsplash and floor, giving the huge area the grounding needed to carry this level of drama.

This kitchen depicts a timeless design for a vibrant young family entering an exciting new millennium.