The clients could be deemed design minimalists and functional maximalists. Adherents to both John Pawson’s ethos grounded in the atmosphere of space, and the use-focused design principals of Dieter Rams.

Atmosphere was inherent to the Edwardian home that has an intimate European feel when you step through the front door. The scale shifts as the outlook over the San Francisco cityscape pulls you through to the back of the house reimagined by designer Jacqui Sweet to open the expansive view and create a functional space to support the growing family's life.

San Francisco, California

Architecture and Design by zenzic design

Contractor: Devlin McNally Construction (DMC)

To keep visual focus on the exterior panorama, the kitchen was designed to stay out of the spotlight without fading away. Upon first glance, it melts into the architecture, giving breathing room to the surrounding space.

As the eyes and activity turn from the view, the quiet white kitchen shows its depth. It is a graphic design element in its own right, balanced by the simple black form of the peninsula - referred to as the "obelisk" by the clients. Simple, considered lines resulting from careful tailoring of the Henrybuilt kitchen system create a cohesive, compelling composition. One that defines shapes and implies movement and functional direction. Specialized functional pieces, like the the backsplash system, are part of the linear form.

Texture is achieved through pattern and subtle shifts in material. The clients sought a precise, graphically-clean, technical performance kitchen that did not read glossy or feel like plastic. Careful quilting of powder coated steel, technical laminate, and solid surface acrylic - all in white - add depth and tactility. Like a crisp white shirt. One with unique subtle stitching and long-lasting fabric that is soft to touch. It feels as good, if not better, to wear as it does to look at.

"Henrybuilt's quality and craftsmanship stands out," said Sweet. "It has a specific hand to it. One that feels natural - not static or cold - but still achieved the minimalist aesthetic the client was after. Difficult things to marry."

With use of the kitchen, a discovery of the experiential layers of the space begins. The subtleties of the details built into the system elevate how it feels to live with - from the back-of-door storage rack to the vertical bar block that corrals cutting boards in a crafted wood piece tucked in an otherwise dead zone between the oven and the wall. The seemingly mundane is suddenly elevated through Henrybuilt’s unique system of innovative products, flexible design, and exquisite craft.

"Henrybuilt offers clever details that don't come with off-the-shelf kitchens or traditional millwork," says Sweet.

The result is unobtrusive and honest, sophisticated and intuitive to use, focused on supporting and enhancing the family’s day-to-day life.

It’s anything but white space.