Wright Touch

Clients’ Design Objectives: To restore the home, designed by John Howe, chief draftsman for Frank Lloyd Wright, to its original integrity. The kitchen had been remodeled in the 80’s and was an eyesore. Challenges: To maintain the existing footprint of the room, bring in more light, and maintain the mahogany light valance band that encircles all the rooms Solutions: We began by removing the texture from the ceilings, the sheetrock from the beams, and adding mahogany veneer to the trusses which frame the clerestory windows. Mahogany cabinets were installed to match the wood throughout the home. Honed black granite countertops and a glass mosaic backsplash added a feeling of warmth and elegance. Lighting under the new cabinets on the brick wall and the extension of up-lighting over the sink wall cabinetry brightened up the room. We added illuminated floating shelves similar to ones built by Howe and Wright. To maintain the line of the valance band we used a Subzero, chiseling out ½” of tile so we were able to drop it in place, perfectly aligning it with the band. The homeowner loves cooking and eating in the new kitchen. “It feels like it belongs in the house and we think John Howe would have loved it.”