By Donna Heiderstadt
Three designers have clinched finalist spots in the Small Kitchen category of the Kitchen & Bath Design + Industry Awards, which will be held January 30 at KBIS 2023 in Las Vegas. Their designs for kitchens measuring under 300 square feet have landed them in the running for first-, second- and third-place honors and the respective $5,000, $2,500, and $1,000 cash prizes that accompany the award. Which designer wins what will be announced live at the awards ceremony, which will begin at 6:30pm in the Encore Ballroom at Encore at Wynn Las Vegas, but as the industry gets ready to gather for another innovative KBIS, here’s a sneak peek at the top three Small Kitchens for 2023.
Svetlana Tryaskina, Estee Design, Toronto: “Contemporary & Chic Kitchen”
Designer Svetlana Tryaskina, founder of Toronto-based Estee Design and winner of the National Kitchen & Bath Association’s Best New Designer of the Year in 2016, is a finalist for her “Contemporary and Chic Kitchen.” The project transformed a dark and dated kitchen in a midtown Toronto condo into a comfortable, well-lit space with plentiful storage and prep areas.
“I tried to provide as much style and comfort as possible while giving the space a contemporary and luxurious vibe,” says Svetlana.
The design plan required rearranging the layout to create an open-concept living/kitchen space. Custom cabinets and new built-in Fisher & Paykel appliances allowed for seamless millwork panels and a 12-foot peninsula became the centerpiece, offering ample storage and an area to cook and entertain. Durable materials and finishes (Caesarstone/Carrera marble countertops, Kohler sinks and faucets) were also carefully selected to keep the space chic, inviting and easy to maintain, while a stylish pantry cabinet with large pocket doors houses a compact tea/coffee station with a serving counter and additional storage for cups and cutlery. “Ultimately, I delivered the streamlined, functional area with a few unexpected design elements and an inviting, cozy atmosphere,” she says.
Sarah Robertson, Studio Dearborn, Mamaroneck, NY: “Creek Lane”
As the owner of Mamaroneck, NY-based Studio Dearborn, Sarah Robertson has made the mastery of kitchen storage her calling card. Her Small Kitchen entry, “Creek Lane,” was no exception. “The homeowners of this new build on the outskirts of Nashville were seeking privacy, serenity and a connection to nature in their new home,” she explains. “They had lived in Nashville for a number of years and were finally building their dream home for themselves and their five pets.” So, in addition to the usual functional considerations for this large but not huge eat-in kitchen, Sarah needed to include a pet watering station with a faucet and drain and comfortable eating areas for the “furry five.”
The homeowners wanted a space with great natural light that combined both modern and farmhouse aesthetics—and included light-hued reclaimed brick from their hometown in Wisconsin. Sarah was able to pull all these elements together with materials and finishes that kept the palette clean yet visually compelling: pale oak floors, rich blue/black cabinetry, soapstone countertops and range hood, a contrasting marble island top, brass hardware, cast-concrete pendant lights and mid-century Arthur Umanoff vintage bar stools. Storage was totally customized by category (one cabinet was designed specifically for vitamins while the cat feeding area features a toe-kick drawer for bowls and an adjacent pull-out for food storage) and wall cabinets were brought down to the counter to compensate for their limited number.
Nar Bustamante, Nar Design Group, Sacramento, CA: “Piano Zinc”
Nar Bustamante, president and principal designer of Sacramento, CA-based Nar Design Group, was born in Mexico City and raised in San Francisco. Years of traveling throughout Europe, North Africa and North America have played an influential role in his appreciation for art, culture and architecture. So, when local Sacramento clients sought a kitchen design that would integrate with their airy and contemporary living space, which included a grand piano, Nar had a plan: “Piano Zinc.” “The modern architectural lines of this home instantly spoke to us,” he says. “The tall ceilings, clerestory windows, steel I-beam post and wood ceiling give lightness to the space. We knew we wanted the kitchen to bring a sense of coziness to draw you in while maintaining a harmonious open-concept space.”
In Nar’s design, the horizontal convergence of the honed Taj Mahal countertops lightens the palette and the island and back wall have mitered waterfall elements, giving a furniture-wrapped feeling to the kitchen. A quarter-sawn white oak kerf cut with a dark raisin stain was selected for the custom cabinetry to highlight the verticality of the space while respecting the client’s desire for a kitchen without upper cabinets to emphasize openness. The solution was a dual-sided-access counter wall cabinet with the side featuring an open cubby for countertop appliances to tuck into as well as concealed storage behind doors. On the front, a hidden touch-latch door conceals additional vertical storage. Shimmery white geometric backsplash tile by Ann Sacks supplies subtle texture without competing with the veining of the countertops and the wide-plank French oak flooring was brought up onto the toe space of the cabinetry to complement the lightness of the home’s architecture.
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