After designing chef Niall Campbell’s farm-to-table restaurant Firefly Grill in Effingham, Illinois, years prior, Cass Calder Smith Architecture was hired once again, this time to design a home for Campbell and his family in the area.
Interlock House was intended to be unique—which is how the restaurant was envisioned—but cozy enough for the immediate family on a day-to-day basis and for extended family during the holidays. The home consists of “two ‘buildings’ that contrast each other functionally, geometrically, and materially that only touch at one small connecting point,” according to the firm.
As a chef, Campbell required a stocked kitchen in the main living space. In addition to the state-of-the-art appliances, the architect team decided to add a fully stainless steel kitchen island due to a mutual love for the material not only for its appearance, but also its durability. Its commercial look blends seamlessly with the other stainless steel features and provides a contrasting element to the room’s wood tones. The low-maintenance island serves as a highly functional countertop for a family that loves to cook.
