This Whistler Kitchen Is all Warm Wood and Fantastic Views

When designer Denise Ashmore of Project 22 Design was called in to renovate an early '90s-era home on Alta Lake in Whistler, two things were immediately clear: one, you could barely see that great view over the lake if you spent any time in the kitchen and, two, that view would be a great informer of the materials she€™d bring into the space. Her team took out an awkward peninsula and opened up the kitchen to the rest of the main floor (and, after a bifold retractable glass wall system was installed on the opposite wall, out to the lake, too). And then they opted for natural, matte finishes on all of the materials they selected for the space: a brushed finish on the smoked walnut millwork, soft limestone tile behind the stove and a honed surface on the black engineered quartz counter. €œWhistler is such a natural environment€”shiny doesn't play well here,€ says Ashmore. €œThe environment is such a strong player.€

Credit: Janis Nicolay

To make the island feel more like a piece of furniture, Ashmore opted for recessed finger pulls rather than the matte black metal pulls seen on the perimeter cabinets, and included legs in the design.

Credit: Janis Nicolay

The greenhouse-style window over the sink was pre-existing, though the team updated the glass with black frames. €œWe find that black-frame windows disappear,€ says Ashmore. €œThey recede back and you focus on the outside.€ Next to the integrated refrigerators, Ashmore added one more shallow cabinet that goes from the ceiling to the counter, providing both counter space and more efficient storage. As a result, the team was able to eliminate the upper cabinets around the range.

Credit: Janis Nicolay

The dining table is designed by local makers Lock and Mortice; the Torii chairs are from Bensen, Vancouver designer Niels Bendtsen's line. The lighting overhead was ceiling-mounted so as not to interfere with the view.