Trade Secrets: A Whistler Kitchen That’s Rustic Modern Meets Material Magic

Designed by Lauren Ritz,  LRD Studio, Squamish, B.C.

Though this kitchen is in a Whistler home, it takes its inspiration from another mountain town: Tahoe. “It became a high inspiration for this project,” says interior designer Lauren Ritz. “Homes there have this rustic drama, and we just had a great time playing with it.” So while many other Whistler homes feature wood and stone, this one swerves with raw steel detailing and chiselled limestone countertops; cabinets, meanwhile, are made from rustic, pressed-wood veneers finished with a water-based lacquer (shoutout to McGrath Millworks). Cold-rolled steel wraps the hood vent and cascades right down to the stovetop, because, as mountain-rugged as this “cabin” kitchen is, it’s still made for modern life. “It’s an easy-to-wipe surface that’s going to age well over time,” says Ritz.