Sometimes it is the littlest things that bring the most joy.
For Natalie Burnside, her kitchen remodel means everything is now within reach. “I’m short—just five feet tall,” she says. “I could barely reach the microwave above the range in the old kitchen. Even getting dinner plates out of the wall cabinet was difficult, so I wanted to make sure I had access to everything in my new kitchen.”
Achieving that impressive feat meant a complete renovation of Natalie’s dated kitchen in her Gibsonia home. Natalie and her husband, Michael, purchased the house while it was under construction 12 years ago. “It was partially finished when we bought it, but we did get to change the countertops,” she says. “The kitchen was the only part of the house that I didn’t love.”
The essence of space planning
In early 2016, after raising their three children in the house, the couple decided it was time to update the kitchen. Natalie started perusing the Internet, looking for design ideas, as well as a designer who could create a kitchen that catered to her love for entertaining and food. That’s when she came across Lauren Levant. Relatively new to Pittsburgh, Levant’s design aesthetic leaned toward modern and industrial, two elements Natalie was interested in incorporating in her own home. “Lauren’s first design was pretty much what you see today. She knocked it out of the park pretty quick,” she says.
Since building an addition on to the back of the house wasn’t in the budget, Levant worked her magic to come up with a floor plan that would maximize the space and bring the kitchen into today’s modern era. “The goal was to make the kitchen social so that Natalie is able to cook and socialize with family and friends,” Levant says.
Instead of the kitchen work triangle, Levant says designers now focus on creating cooking zones. For Natalie’s kitchen, she grouped appliances together for better efficiency, placed the dishwasher next to the sink to streamline cleanup and created plenty of counter space for food preparation. The large island and adjoining dining table also established a zone for guests to hang out or help Natalie cook if needed.
Levant also says the key to reworking this particular kitchen was the decision to relocate the entry from the garage. This allowed for the range to move to its new location and the creation of a large wall for cabinet storage—all within Natalie’s reach. Natalie specifically points to the far left cabinet, which features a bi-fold door that houses the coffee station and toaster. “We ran electric, finished the inside of the cabinet and included a piece of quartz for the shelf,” she says. “When the door is open it looks great and blends in with the rest of the kitchen.”
The new layout also led the homeowners and Levant to rethink the exterior wall. By removing the old cabinets, they were able to install large windows that bring the outside right into the kitchen. “The window wall now offers a wonderful view of the outdoor patio and pool,” Levant says.
A nod to Pittsburgh’s history
That view encouraged Levant to develop a design aesthetic that would balance out the space. “We had a lot of competition to deal with thanks to that sweeping view of the outdoor living area,” she says.
That search for balance led to the creation of the massive range hood. Measuring in at just over nine feet long, Levant worked with Iron Eden of Pittsburgh to create the linear, hot rolled steel hood. “It’s really a sculptural element,” Levant says. “You can see the natural markings of the steel, which is also a nod to Pittsburgh’s history in the industry. Plus, the bluish cast creates a watery look, a perfect counterpart to the pool area.”
To complement the smooth, flowing design of the hood, Levant installed a back painted glass backsplash illuminated by LED lighting. During the day, the backsplash reflects the pool, while at night the lighting creates drama. “The backsplash is a perfect mirror of the back yard and it wasn’t even planned,” says Natalie. “I can be cooking at the range, with my back to the pool, and still see what is going on outside.”
Levant adds that glass is a great backsplash material for anyone looking for a sleek, modern alternative. “You can even write recipes on the glass and it wipes right off.”
Modern warmth
Both Natalie and Levant point to the mixture of materials used to create the modern design. “It’s a warmer, transitional version of modern. It’s very approachable,” Levant says. “And since it’s located in a very traditional home, it’s somewhat unexpected.”
To balance out the reflective surfaces seen throughout the kitchen, Levant installed laminate cabinetry with a textured finish. Featuring two shades of gray and a vertical grain pattern, the slab front matte cabinetry helps to soften the sleek glass and metal and absorb the light. Natural cherry framing with an ebony stain was wrapped around the perimeter cabinetry, tying everything together. To complete the design, a soft gray paint with sandy brown undertones was used on the walls and glass backsplash.
High honors
Moving the garage entry door and adding the window wall might have been the driving force behind the two awards Levant received for this kitchen from the National Kitchen and Bath Association (NKBA). Earlier this year, Levant’s kitchen for the Burnsides received top honors for medium kitchen design and was the overall winner of the most dramatic Before and After renovation in the U.S. “When you build something like this, you are building it for yourself and you don’t think anyone would care,” says Natalie. “We built this kitchen for our family and we love it, so we aren’t surprised that Lauren received these accolades. She did an incredible job.”
Resources: Contractor: Tim Kane, Kane Contracting; Designer: Lauren Levant, Lauren Levant Interior; Lighting: Hafele; Restoration Hardware; Paint: Benjamin Moore Himalayan Trek; Flooring: Armstrong, ProSource; Windows: Therma-Tru; Cabinetry: Crystal Cabinet Works; Countertops: Cosmos quartz; Glass backsplash: Vitro Architectural Glass, Rex Glass; Sink: Kohler; Faucet: Moen; Appliances: Miele dishwasher; GE Monogram cooktop and oven; Sub-Zero refrigerator; Sharp microwave drawer, Don’s Appliances; Range hood: Iron Eden