A love of classic tools and mechanics inspired the homeowner to base his kitchen entire material palette on one object. “At our initial meeting for the undertaking, he showed me that a 1920s General Electric voltmeter and stated, ‘This is what I want the room to feel as though,'” says designer Amy Sklar.
Kitchen at a Glance
Who lives here: The kitchen is at a guesthouse and studio for a Hollywood writer and celebrity.
Location: Los Feliz area of Los Angeles
Designer: Amy Sklar
Size: 68 square feet
Before Photo
After used in labs to measure electric currents, the unique collectible epitomizes the customer’s love of everything classic.
Amy Sklar Design Inc
Vintage materials and vintage-inspired appliances produce the feel of their classic voltmeter. The simple color palette of white, black, gray and walnut is based upon the instrument’s dials, wood casing and newspaper.
Sklar wanted just the right range to fit into this tiny slot between cupboards. Hunting high and low, she discovered that this 21-inch-wide stove, also in the 1920s. The custom hood is constructed of pure steel.
Stove: O’Keefe & Merrit, Antique Gas Stoves; hood: habit raw Steel with satin finish, Black Star Projects; spacious shelving: walnut
Before Photo
Amy Sklar Design Inc
Before the remodel, the upper cabinets made the kitchen feel dark and cramped.
Amy Sklar Design Inc
AFTER: Sklar eliminated the upper cabinetry and thick window treatments to let in natural light and open up the space. Uninterrupted surfaces, such as counter-to-ceiling tile, make visual consistency, which makes the room look more spacious.
Even without the upper cupboards, the new kitchen has more storage than the previous layout, thank to pullout drawers for pots, spices and trays on either side of the stove. A microwave cabinet under the bar countertop saves the counter area for prepping and eating.
Backsplash tile: Arden, Ann Sacks; countertops: Lagos Azul limestone, Walker Zanger; cabinetry: habit, Black Star Projects; cabinetry hardware: Variety, Vandykes; faucet: Alcott, Kohler; faucet: Hirise Bridge, Kohler
Before Photo
Amy Sklar Design Inc
The prior kitchen had an embarrassing opening to the living room. It had been at bar height, but it was small and lacked an overhang for comfy countertop dining.
Amy Sklar Design Inc
AFTER: Sklar opened more of this wall, fell the remaining wall to counter long and height the overhang to the living room. The new Elmira fridge next to the sink picks up on the range’s classic elements and color.
Bar stools: classic, Nickey Kehoe; pendant: Eugene, Circa Lighting; fridge: Model 1951, Elmira Stove Works
Amy Sklar Design Inc
“We wanted to tip our hats to the classic vibe, but we did not want it to look like a movie set in the ’20s,” Sklar says. “It was crucial that you use classic elements, but also to make sure we wove them together with modern touches.”
More: 12 Inspiring Real-Life Vintage Kitchens
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