Designing a Transitional Style Kitchen in Scottsdale, AZ
Simply put, a transitional kitchen is an interior design style that falls between traditional and contemporary design. It boasts a modern feel, with all the color and functionality that a modern kitchen can lack.
Backstory
The house was a massive single story floor plan that was cut up and compartmentalized to a ridiculous degree…there were unnecessary walls everywhere. This wasn’t a surprise considering the house was built in the early 80’s before the idea of “open floor plans” was widely popularized. In fact this house was 80’s enough to have belonged to Gordon Gekko (Wall Street) himself…I’m talking hidden floor and wall safes and even a cedar closet for suits. As cool as all this stuff was in the 80’s, it all had to go.
Before even thinking about materials and all the fun stuff, the problem of the layout needed to be solved. So our natural first step was to start there. We ended up creating a completely open floor plan by combining the kitchen space, the dining room space and the back hallway all into one huge open area and the results were stunning.
They just bought a huge house in Scottsdale that was built in the early 1980’s and they needed the entire place updated. To start, they hired us to focus on the kitchen. However, before we could make any choices in the kitchen we needed to help them solve their layout problem.
Selecting the Materials
We ended up using white shaker cabinets on the walls and for the island in the foreground, or the working kitchen island. And wood-toned custom cabinets for the contrasting furniture island.
For countertops we used a combination of pure white quartz and quartzite. The white quartz went in the kitchen around the perimeter. The quartzite, a very high end and beautiful material, we used on the contrasting island in the background and the bar. Using the this luxury material sparingly makes it stand out and not get lost in the background of all the other design choices.
For floors we went with engineered hardwood. Why? Because we needed a lot of it and the pricing is far better that full wood floors. Also, with the drastic heat changes in Arizona, engineered hardwood actually holds up better in the long run.
How To Start
Starting this job meant taking pain staking measurements of the entire first floor. The only way the Cardosi’s were going to make a kitchen decision is if they could see how the kitchen would relate to a more open and modern floor plan. Once we determined how the first floor should layout, it was easy to show them modern kitchen designs that fit that layout…now we were off to the races because all that remained was picking materials, and that step is fun!
Design Process: Creating a Transitional Kitchen
Identify Constants & Changes
There were no constants on this project. Meaning, everything was being ripped out and replaced, so all of our choices were starting from scratch.
Define Style Genre & Design Preferences
Given that we knew they wanted an open floor plan, it was pretty easy to guess that the Cardosis were going to trend towards more modern design elements, but just how far down the “contemporary rabbit hole” they were willing to go remained to be seen. Turns out they were like most clients we meet in the valley: they like some modern elements, but not enough to full commit to that style. Again, like most, they wanted something more transitional. This was set in stone the minute they picked white shaker and a contrasting wood-toned island.
Build a Design Board
Now that we had the cabinet door and color choices made, everything else falls into place. Knowing that we were staying modern, we used white quartz as the main countertop material. The traditional elements, such as the contrasting island and the quartzite blend perfectly with the shaker and land the whole project squarely in the “transitional” genre. The floors were selected to match, but not intrude…which can be a tough line to walk.
Mixing transitional and modern design styles
Do the Design
We now had a set floor plan, open concept layout, and clear marching orders to modernize without going super contemporary. From there, creating the design was simple.
Virtual Walkthrough
When we all sat down again we were able to show them, not just there new kitchen, but their new first-floor design. Walls removed, rooms set, and kitchen designed using a 2 island approach…it was everything they wanted and nothing they didn’t.
After
Before
After
Before
Conclusion
Every design and situation are going to be a little different, because every space is a little different and people are all different, but one goal should always be the same: the right design, with the right person, for the right price. If you nail those three, it’s hard to go wrong.
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