USA Kitchen Trends US Kitchen Trends Vol. 30/09 | Page 41

Walden says that although this is a new
house, designed by architect Thomas Stimpert,
it has all the character and charm you would
find in a much older rustic, ranch house.
“The home is on a large property that is
essentially a horse-riding ranch, and the owners
wanted a character home in the old tradition,”
he says. “The kitchen, for example, is at one end
of a large great room with a huge fireplace. It’s
the gathering place for the entire family.”
In keeping with the theme, the design team
chose handcrafted white hemlock cabinets – the
wood was sourced locally, but it mimics the

look of older European and Scandinavian pine
cabinets from centuries past.
“The wood has small tight knots and has
been given an aged finish to enhance the character,” the designer says. “However, at the same
time, the owners wanted to introduce a more
refined, classical look to the crown mouldings.
So the detailing is more sophisticated than
you would expect in such a kitchen, yet these
features have been rendered in a casual fashion,
with a distressed finish that softens the look.
The owners didn’t want the kitchen to become a
precious thing, not to be touched.”

Above left: Aged wood beams and
distressed white hemlock cabinetry
enhance the rustic appeal of this
new ranch house in Sonoma County,
CA. The kitchen, designed by Neal
Walden of Walden & Company, also
features a custom range hood with
decorative wood mantel supported
by concrete corbels.
Above: The floors throughout the
kitchen and great room feature
reclaimed white oak that is in
keeping with the old-world character.

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