Written by: Susan Zingraf/Photos by: Chris Bucher
For most, designing a new kitchen is an endeavor undertaken once or twice, perhaps even a handful of times in a lifetime. Yet for Rob Klein, custom kitchen designer and owner of Conceptual Kitchens, it’s an everyday thing to create desirable and functional cooking, eating and living spaces. When the time had come for Rob as a designer and a client to become one in the same, the job was tougher than expected. “Sitting down and designing my own kitchen was probably the most difficult task of my career. Oh man, it was tough,” Rob said.
Rob had been thinking about the kitchen redesign for his Carmel home, built by his dad R.J. Klein in the 1980s, off and on since he and his wife, Nicole, and their children moved in approximately three years ago. It took several design iterations, as well as cancelled orders, before getting to the point where true inspiration hit. “With the first four designs, there was always something that didn’t fit. But with the fifth, I couldn’t wait to get it done,” he said.
A new direction
After pulling back from his fourth design, Rob met with cabinetry designer Bill Ohs, of Wm Ohs, to explore a new design direction that pushed the classic envelope. This collaborative effort is what helped to inspire both the fifth and final design for the Kleins’ new kitchen as well as an entirely new contemporary cabinetry line for Wm Ohs, called Simplicité. “We both got excited about designing a new look, and this was the perfect opportunity to have a prototype of it,” Rob said about using his own kitchen to showcase Simplicité.
A departure from Wm Ohs’ traditional cabinetry roots, Simplicité infuses a modern and minimalist flair into classic cabinetry design. Using the Kleins’ kitchen to make the line a reality, “We looked at this from a practical standpoint. We wanted simple, classic, and everything to have a purpose. We wanted something very functional,” said Rob.
Clean with character
The elimination of wall cabinets gives the Kleins’ kitchen a clean, open and uncluttered feel. Two parallel islands provide ample storage with drawers and floor cupboards of rift cut white oak, dipped in “Obsidian.” The absence of hardware is a key characteristic of the Simplicité look, as seen in the islands, emphasizing horizontal lines as a key component of its aesthetic.
Topped with Calcutta marble, from Santarossa Mosaic & Tile, the islands lead to the 65-inch La Cornue range adorned with a custom hood, from Specialty Stainless, designed by Rob himself. The wall of marble provides a striking canvas to showcase the appliances and accompaniments. “I didn’t want granite,” Rob said. “Marble is this prettiest thing you can put in a kitchen. It develops character with its patina, it’s never ruined from stain.” The creamy white marble, named Calcutta Gold, is strewn with black fleck, gray and gold with the speckles of gold tying to the warm glow of the carbonized bamboo floor. “They draw upon each other,” said Rob.
A china cabinet and a baking center cupboard sophisticatedly conceal more storage to either side of the main kitchen sink that are “critical to pulling off the whole design,” according to Rob. The opposing wall carries on the theme of sleek and discrete with a recessed countertop and overhead built-ins nestled behind a retractable door surrounded by a matching Sub-Zero refrigerator and wine cabinet.
Drama worth waiting for
While in the end it took five designs and more than three years to get there, Rob feels he achieved the kitchen he was seeking, and ironically, “The final design actually only took about 45 minutes,” he said. Keeping true to its name, “The Simplicité line was designed around my kitchen,” concluded Rob. “Simple details are important for overall design. Without them, it isn’t as dramatic.”
Resources: Homebuilder: R.J. Klein; Kitchen designer: Rob Klein, Conceptual Kitchens; Cabinetry: Simplicité, Wm Ohs; Countertops, backsplash: Calcutta Gold marble, Santarossa Mosaic & Tile Company; Range: 65-inch La Cornue; Hood: Custom design by Klein, supplied by Specialty Stainless; Refrigerator: Sub-Zero 700; Faucets: Dornbracht; Flooring: Carbonized bamboo