A Manhattan family was seeking a balance of refinement and informality in an active open kitchen.

... They expected to cook and socialize daily - and wanted to display numerous pieces of art and artifacts from their travels. They wanted a space that would allow all this while preserving the room’s composure.

The space for this kitchen was inherently complex - connecting two other rooms, and with many intruding pipes, ventilation chases, and structural posts.

 The result - a happy collaboration - is an imaginative atmosphere that also feels like home, an almost kitchen-as-studio feel.

They accentuate the natural elegance of the tall space.

There is a sensitivity to the detailing of each volume: which ones appear monolithic, and which appear to recede between extended verticals.

The slotted wooden drawers of the reversed Horizontal Bar Block - which helps conceal the sink area from the dining room— have the quality of furniture, and also of a well-appointed workshop.

Rather than attempting to eliminate visual noise, the focus here is on balancing real life with a little well-placed and upbeat drama.