USA Kitchen Trends US Kitchen Renovation Trends Vol. 30/11 | Page 90

the kitchen at the back and from the living
area at the front.”
Molina says because the client is both
a family man and an avid cook, it was
important for him to be able to interact
with his children at play in the garden,
while he is working in the kitchen.
“The seamless transition between the
living areas makes this possible.”
The different spaces are clearly
defined, however. A dramatic, curving
staircase separates the living and dining
areas, and is another point of illumination.

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Sunlight streams in from the skylights in
the lantern roof directly above.
While the stair has a bold, sculptural
contemporary form, its simplicity ensures
it does not detract from the original
shophouse features.
“The client was insistent on bringing
back the home’s old-world charm,” says
Arango. “New wooden beams were
installed in the ceiling of the ground floor,
and also beneath the roof, to evoke the
traditional character.”
The second floor of the front part of

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the house features two bedrooms, one at
the front and the other at the back, with
a bathroom between. White-painted bookshelves enliven the passage between these
two rooms.
“We added a balcony to the bedroom
at the rear of the house, and introduced
a screen for privacy,” Arango says. “The
screen functions as a dividing wall, and is
in line with conservation restrictions that
would not permit a solid wall.”
The top floor accommodates the
master bedroom, which is separated from