Ranch OH

Text by Nate Berg

For many people, the kitchen is the heart of a home, but that saying rings even more true for a serious cook. So it was the obvious starting point for San Francisco–based Feldman Architecture as it took on the design of a chef's 4,063-square-foot home in Carmel, Calif. The kitchen became the physical center of the mostly linear structure, and is anchored by a large central island that’s used for both preparing and eating food.

Tall, gray-stained cedar ceilings, concrete floors, and floor-to-ceiling white laminate cabinets give the space a bright and clean feel, while corner-wrapping windows create a room-filling wall of tree-dappled natural light. Built-in energy-efficient appliances and a walk-in pantry make the space highly functional without being crowded. Recycled materials and bio-based foam insulation keep the building’s impact low, and heat gain is controlled by roof overhangs and the 100-year-old oak tree outside the home’s expansive windows.

As the center of the home, which was built by Monterey, Calif.–based custom builder Groza Construction, the kitchen is easily accessed from the main communal spaces, as well as from its outdoor living room and pool. The result is a kitchen of ample light, space, and connectivity that pulls people in. Home, in this house, is where the kitchen is.

“There is a lightweight quality to this kitchen. The split ceiling and the outdoor connection add an element of earthiness.”
— Juror Janet Bloomberg

Architect: Feldman Architecture Builder: Groza Construction
Size: 4,063 square feet (whole house)
Cost: Withheld