Kitchen & Bath Business April 2021 - 48

BALANCED BUDGET
COSTS & CONSIDERATIONS

California Dreaming

A designer creates a distinctive kitchen
and bath for clients who envisioned exactly
what they wanted in their forever home

A BEVERLY HILLS COUPLE with four kids was looking to do a major overhaul
of the kitchen and primary bath in their 6,500-sq.-ft. Rodeo Drive home.
The designer on the project, Christopher Grubb of Arch-Interiors Design
Group, had a 13-year history working with the extended family on other
ventures. After three years of design development to take the necessary time
to determine their needs, the clients were ready to embark on a one-year
journey to fulfill their vision.

KITCHEN AND BATHROOM NECESSITIES

First and foremost, the family wanted a sizable island where they could
gather, as the previous space was lacking this. Second, the kitchen needed
to be kosher, which meant two sets of appliances, prep areas and sinks. And
third, the clients wanted to incorporate as much natural light as possible to
the formerly dark kitchen. All of these extra needs required that the previous
space be enlarged from 423 to 536 square feet, which was accomplished by
moving the kitchen forward at least 8 feet into the backyard, and they also
wanted improved flow from the kitchen into the adjacent family room.
" The design team was charged with opening up the space both physically
and visually with additional windows and higher ceilings, " said Grubb. " The
clients' affinity for classic architectural details dictated a need for elegance,
but as a family kitchen, it required other elements that suggest it is a space
for casual relaxation as well. "
In addition to updating the aesthetic in the primary bath to something
bright, classic and elegant, it was all about adding more space and decompartmentalizing. Grubb opened everything up and incorporated more storage solutions by borrowing some space from the balcony off of the master bedroom.

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48-49_KBB_0421_BalancedBudget.indd 48

ABOVE " One of the most

signiﬁcant environmentally
friendly aspects of this kitchen
is its use of natural light, "
said Christopher Grubb of
Arch-Interiors Design Group.
" By expanding the windows
and allowing sunshine to
ﬂow inside, the homeowners
reduce their need for lights
during the daytime hours. But
when lighting is necessary, all
task lighting is LED for energy
conservation. "
Hand-crafted elements in
the kitchen include the 3D
relief-eﬀect mosaic behind the
stove, the harlequin-patterned
backsplash and the cabinetry,
which houses double the appliances in this kosher kitchen.

By CHELSIE BUTLER

In this column, we usually discuss how the designer was able to splurge and save to stay on budget.
This particular article is going to address why the
costs were what they were for this project.
" So many elements in this custom luxury
kitchen and master bath were hand-detailed with
true craftsmanship, with every item shopped in
person, " said Grubb. " Hence, the project cost is
commensurate to such exceptional quality. The
services of a color consultant were also utilized to
assist in creating the palette for selected materials. "
The designer admitted that his clients were
conscious of costs in that they had a number in
mind. But because this was a long-term renovation in their forever home, if a particular detail
they wanted upped the ante, they were prepared
to pay more. He also said a lot of the costs were
structural, and labor is more expensive in California than in other states.
" I was not tasked with saving them money on
this project, but it was something we took into
consideration, " said Grubb. " They appreciated
my ideas and were up for spending more money
for those in certain areas, which was rewarding for
me as a designer. "
BIG-TICKET ITEMS

Doubling up on items in a kosher kitchen adds
up. The design team also installed beveled glass
doors that lead into the family room by opening
up a load-bearing wall. Some of the details like the
oversized edges on the hand-picked stone countertops, hand-placed applique by a French artist
over the oven and a ceramic harlequin-patterned
backsplash also added to the labor costs.
The oversized island countertop is all one slab
with no seams, and it features hand-detailed legs
that make it feel like a piece of furniture.The homeowners chose porcelain floor tile for its durability
because although this may look like a showplace
kitchen, the wife is a passionate and active cook.

/ APRIL 2021 / KBBONLINE.COM / The official publication of NKBA (NKBA.org) and KBIS (KBIS.com)

3/22/21 4:28 PM

http://www.KBBONLINE.COM http://www.NKBA.org http://www.KBIS.com

Kitchen & Bath Business April 2021

Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of Kitchen & Bath Business April 2021