One Show House, Two Kitchens : Part 2

Here's where my last post left us... inside the renovated kitchen of The Pasadena Showcase House for the Arts. I found two new photos to show you. Above is the view looking over the island toward the sink area as if the photographer's back is to the refrigerator. Here you also get a closer look at the copper-colored Metalcrete countertop on the island and the original cabinets, against the walls, some refinished in a dark brown stain, others painted white.


This view, above, takes in the sink area too, as if the photographer has pivoted to the left, and shows the opposite end of the kitchen. See the light coming in from between the cabinets on the right wall? Let's go out that door...


...cross the terrace and turn around. There's the door we just came through. The window to the left of the door and the first one around the corner to the right are the kitchen's only two windows. Don't they look tiny against that imposing brick facade? Now, let's walk forward and to the right a bit, turn around and look back again.

You can see the iron cage of the house's main entry portico in the upper left corner of the photo above. Directly behind us is the area now occupied by the new outdoor kitchen. Before receiving its show house makeover, it looked like this...

...and it appears as if there wasn't really any way to get to it because of the retaining wall and short iron fencing you see in the photo above. That fencing was removed or modified to allow for a set of steps and a handrail leading down onto a new deck. You can just see the handrail at the bottom of the photo below. You also get your first glimpse of the estate's second kitchen.

The outdoor kitchen is tucked into a corner of the house. The brick makes a great backdrop and undoubtedly played a key role in the designer's decision-making process. The cedar-look deck, made of recycled plastic and wood products, has been cut out to accommodate the existing liquidambar tree. In one view here, you'll see the soil area was eventually covered in tumbled aqua glass. The tree provides excellent shade for this area—when the 3-story house itself isn't doing that job.


Some photos show a wrought iron table and chairs set near the kitchen area, another shows a high-top bar type table. Both were present at the time of my visit, pushed into opposite corners to allow for lookiloo traffic.

Inside the kitchen work area, a Wolf grill is positioned beneath a stainless range hood. Guests who wish to interact with the cook can relax at the bar topped with architectural glass made using renewable resources. The designer chose all materials for this kitchen just as carefully claiming everything she used is either recycled, sustainable or recyclable. The cabinetry and countertops are, of course, built to withstand the elements all year round.

In the photo above, you'll notice that the pergola is fitted with canvas shades that extend and retract manually as the cook needs them to further shade the prep area. A good idea that also adds softness and an opportunity for additional color.

I've included the photo above to show you how much space and storage there is between the bar cabinet and grill area. Plenty of room for a cook and a bartender so the steaks won't burn when the grillmaster stops to refresh a guest's drink! The last photo, below, gives an idea of the overall size of the area. It is spacious enough for two or three tables yet feels intimate because of the walls of the house and the enclosing perimeter wall .

Along the wall to the right, you see a small vegetable garden. Behind that is a water feature made using a tall panel of textured glass. It adds visual interest as well as the soothing sound of trickling water. Beyond the fountain, which is set into a circular garden bed of its own, is another small garden that was packed full of edibles such as mint and rosemary and the gorgeous blooms of tall foxgloves in full flower. Behind that garden is a staircase that is considered the home's side entrance and is said to give additional access to the interior kitchen.

Unlike my mixed emotions over the indoor kitchen, I really loved this one. It was so pretty to look at with all that warm red brick and freshly-painted white wood. And I'm sure it would be as comfortable to work in as it would be to hang out in on a weekend afternoon. The size and ideas were not so grand that they couldn't be incorporated into almost any home, my own included. Excuse me while I go have a conversation with my husband...

For more information about the designer and builder of this and other outdoor kitchens, click here.