Kitchens

Kitchen Design Tip 4: Look for Storage Solutions Outside the Kitchen

Jocelyn Ross Studioworks transforms an outdated kitchen, revealing smart storage solutions outside its traditional bounds.

By Western Living /
Janis Nicolay

This formerly dated ’90s walk-out overlooking Fish Creek Park in south Calgary featured a boxed-in kitchen accessed by a long, closed-off corridor that stretched from front door to back. By removing the hallway walls, architectural designer Jocelyn Ross of Jocelyn Ross Studioworks gained more than six and a half feet to create a 15-foot-long full-height pantry wall that houses the fridge, freezer, wine fridge, coffee bar and ample storage. “The corridor now becomes a functional space within the kitchen and opens up to that incredible view,” says Ross.

In the expanded footprint, an island wrapped in Deep Blue quartzite serves as both kitchen table for up to five and prep space. “The owner also wanted a kitchen table in here, but I felt the room should be as airy as possible to take in the view—plus the dining room is so close,” says Ross. “We created an elegant eating space with waterfall edge on both ends while also showcasing the gorgeous quartzite from all entries into the kitchen.”

Jocelyn Ross kitchen
Out of the Woods
The original red oak floors were stained ashen (and seamlessly repaired where the corridor wall was removed) while the pantry wall and ridged hood fan wall were clad in an ash featuring a lighter stain—but an earthy tone remains throughout. “Because there isn’t a huge differentiation between one surface to the next, it makes the space feel so much bigger,” says the designer.

 

Backsplash in Quartzite with
Rock and a Hard Place
Quartzite is a softer material while Caesarstone is more durable, so the designer clad the island and hood fan wall’s backsplash in dramatic quartzite while working counters are treated in solid-coloured Wyndigo Caesarstone.
Western Living

Western Living

The editorial team at Western Living loves nothing more than a perfectly designed space, place or thing: and we’re here to tell you about it. Email us your pitches at [email protected].