[All photos by BUILD LLC]
Our Special Projects Division cabinet & furniture shop here in Seattle, under the skilled hands and supervision of SPD’s cabinet master, just completed a very striking cabinet package that’s full of slick details. While the client would like to remain anonymous, they were generous in letting us share the images and design ideas on the BUILDblog. With our expanded shop facilities we were able to assemble the cabinet package in-house; we also set up a full photo studio to get some clean shots of the project. Enjoy.
There are some basic details that accompany any cabinet package the leaves the SPD shop. Center-matching and sequencing the grain pattern from one face to the next is standard and makes for a harmonious look around the kitchen. Once again, we’ve relied on the sourcing of the best materials on the planet from Edensaw Woods. The cabinet package is made of quarter-sawn walnut with a custom milled hardwood edge-banding. We used our typical 7-step Duracat 550 furniture-grade satin lacquer specially formulated by our Ballard neighbors, Rudd Company Inc.
One of the first things you may notice about this cabinet package is that there aren’t any pulls. That’s right, nary a pull on the entire package. Every door and drawer is opened with a light touch thanks to the Blum Servo-Drive electric system. It is perhaps the cleanest, most unencumbered cabinet package we’ve ever built.
Boxes are made from Nevamar high-pressure laminate on voidless Russian birch with our custom SPD edge profile. The countertops are Paperstone which we’re big fans of because it can be worked in-house. A built-in desk uses the same vocabulary and integrates seamlessly with the kitchen cabinets. A corkboard panel extends from one panel to the next creating an intentional location for notes and reminders.
Typical 3/8” reveals provide a clean separation between different components and materials whereas a 1/8” reveal separates different panels of the same material. Modernism is all about setting up simple rules and this cabinet package is no exception –every detail follows a deliberate formula.
Bulk storage is accommodated with the Intivo pantry pull-out by Blum. We like the contrast between the dark walnut and polished zinc drawer fronts (also available in black and white).
Upper cabinets usually provide a good location for flush under-mount puck-lights which offer generous lighting for the working surface below. Hera Lighting makes a well engineered LED puck-light that arrives from the manufacturer ready to plug in to their driver system and wire into the line voltage via transformer. This applications integrates mail slot cubbies above and emphasizes the sleek minimal profile of the puck-lights.
There are some very cool lift-up door types that we explored on the project; each of four different types within the Blum Aventos line. The Stay-lift HK door (above) and Up-and-over HS door (below) maximize access to the cabinet bays and look good doing so.
The Bi-fold HF door (above) and Lift-up HL door (below) are outfitted with brushed aluminum frames and etch-matte glass provided by Elements Designs. This lightens up the composition a bit and provides a handsome contrast to the walnut.
We’ve been refining a new system of magnetic toe-kicks and this project makes good use of them. The integrated toe-kicks can be easily moved for under-cabinet access –which allows us to fine-tune the adjustable legs and gain easy access under the cabinets during install or years down the road if required.
Hands down, our favorite parts of this cabinet package are the utensil drawers with integral cutting board and general drawer interior systems. The drawers follow the modernist dictum that everything should have a place and Blum’s Orga-line provides the building blocks for infinite combinations of organizational solutions. The sleek stainless steel bins lock together and are easily removed for cleaning. Specialized components allow for aluminum foil and plastic wrap dispensers. Rounding it all out and adding one last bespoke touch is the custom SPD graduated maple & walnut cutting board designed and built by our very own Aaron Nelson.
We hope you enjoyed the tour and let us know what you think.
[Aaron and David of SPD]
Cheers from SPD and BUILD