The kitchen has always been a central gathering place in any home. At its core, the kitchen is a hub that provides the basic human needs of food, water, and hang-out time with family and friends — a workstation with heat, refrigeration, counter space, and specialty tools to prepare and share culinary creativity. This has been — and will always be — the case. However, as the pandemic of 2020-21 shut down our favorite restaurants, many of us became more deeply reacquainted with our own kitchens as places of comfort, ateliers of creativity, and sources of sustenance.
Here’s a handful of some of our favorite new and remodeled kitchens.
California Cottage: Working with the architect and builders as this remodel evolved, the owners stayed true to their vision of clean, minimalist living spaces. After reinforcing the building with foundational underpinnings and shear walls, crews vaulted the kitchen ceiling, installed radiant flooring throughout, and added square footage to the master suite, with French doors to the garden. Architecture and interiors by Mosaic Architects & Interiors. Photograph by Jim Bartsch.Asian Contemporary: Blending Asian themes with what the owner describes as the best of craftsman style — long architectural lines, natural color palettes, and master workmanship — this all-new home featured four bedrooms and four-and-a-half bathrooms in the foothills above Santa Barbara. Natural stone exterior ambiance informs interior spaces, as well, all of it faced with unobstructed views across the city’s waterfront. Drawn by architect Don Pederson, the master suite, kitchen, and great room occupy the top floor as guest bedrooms and an open living space and billiard room fill the ground floor. Photograph by Jim Bartsch.Montecito Modern Craftsman: Built in the 1940s and updated a few times along the way, this classic craftsman offered a broad layout with enough square footage to hold its new owners’ extensive art collection. During its comprehensive remodel — with architectural design by Britt Jewett — the home became a piece of art itself, featuring handcrafted detail by some of Santa Barbara’s finest cabinetmakers, iron sculptors, stonemasons, and other artisans. Photograph by Jim Bartsch.Singular Santa Barbara Modern: For this all-new home in the quiet foothills above the city, tall panes of curved glass guide the eye along the stunning expanse of the Santa Barbara Channel. Inside, all living spaces are on a single level, including three bedrooms, three baths, and a wide-open living room, kitchen, and dining area beneath high ceilings. Smooth-finished concrete seamlessly connects the home’s main interior gathering spaces to a welcoming front patio and infinity pool. Harrison Design led the project, with interior architecture by Mosiac Architects & Interiors. Photo by Jim Bartsch.
