Kitchen & Bath Business - July/August 2018 - 68

Small Spaces

SOURCES
DESIGNER: Christopher

Grubb, Arch-Interiors
Design Group;
PHOTOGRAPHER:

Greg Weiner

BACKSPLASH:

Southland Stone USA;
CABINET HARDWARE:

Design Hardware;

COOKTOP: Thermador;
COUNTERTOPS:

Caesarstone;

DISHWASHER & OVEN:
Thermador; FAUCET:
Brizo; MICROWAVE: LG;
REFRIGERATOR: Sub-Zero;
SINK: KOHLER

Sizable Vision

ABOVE Custom glass cabinetry

A p e t i t e We s t H o l l y w o o d

and a bay window provide
depth to the space. The unique
pattern of the limestone backsplash adds elegance to the
space and complements the
other elements in the kitchen.

kitchen is transformed into

BELOW The counters have an

a more functional space
CHRISTOPHER GRUBB KNOWS A THING OR TWO

about small spaces. The designer, who regularly
appeared on HGTV's "Small Space, Big Style,"
is the owner of Arch-Interiors Design Group in
Beverly Hills.
Recently, he helped a client renovate a small
kitchen into a workable space. The West Hollywood house maxed out at about 1,200 square
feet, and the kitchen was only 95.5 square feet. Although Grubb redesigned the way the space was
used, he did not add any footprint to the kitchen.
CREATING COHESIVENESS

The previous kitchen's drab layout was a mishmash of open cabinetry and an exposed stainless
steel refrigerator and stove that felt heavy. Grubb
said the homeowner's top priorities with the
kitchen were more counter space and storage, as
well as to make it look more cohesive and - from a
design standpoint - to be in better harmony with
the rest of the home.
To achieve those goals, the entire kitchen was
gutted. With a blank canvas, Grubb, whose cli-

angled edge, which adds a
slight contemporary detail that
is a nice juxtaposition to the
cabinetry style and ﬁnish.

BY HILARY DANINHIRSCH

ent collaborated with him to create what he refers to as a 'classic design in
Oriental red with a contemporary finish,' designed a kitchen that is not only
charming but is more functional and flows with the rest of the house. One
major step was to replace the tile flooring with new oak flooring to match
what was already in the majority of the home.
"Because it's contiguous with the dining room and living room, the entire
area looks larger; it was a great way to conjoin and enhance the open plan,"
explained Grubb.
THE ILLUSION OF SPACE

Although the footprint was small, the designer was able to make the space at
least feel bigger. One trick was to utilize as much natural lighting as possible,
as the old kitchen did not provide an abundance of light. To add dimension
to the room, he installed a bay window above the
kitchen sink, which looks out onto a side yard.
"It's a good use of not only getting extra light, but
the counter continues into the window, so it makes
the space feel bigger,"said Grubb,who added that he
also installed a skylight that elongates and brightens
the kitchen; unlike a flat ceiling, the skylight adds
dimension for a more spacious feel overall.
Another way the designer conveyed the illusion
of space was his use of glass-front cabinetry, which
provides depth.
"The interior shelves are wood framed with a
glass inset so that the cabinetry downlights shine
through the shelves, making it easier to see what
is inside and providing a nice relaxing glow in the
evening," explained Grubb.
He also said that getting rid of the former tall
pantry helped open up the area and allow for more
counter space. Plus, the cabinetry now goes to the
ceiling, eliminating previous negative space.

Kitchen & Bath Business / JULY-AUGUST 2018 / KBBONLINE.COM / The official publication of KBIS (KBIS.com)

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

Kitchen & Bath Business - July/August 2018

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