What’s special about this project is the building it is in, and how we used its unique aspects to make this contemporary and innovative kitchen, in this amazing historical building.
The building is located in the “Clock Tower” of San Francisco, which was built in 1921. It was once the headquarters of the Max Schmidt Lithography Company, and the largest printing company on the west coast. The future of the tower was jeopardized by the building of the Bay Bridge in the 1930s, but ultimately prevailed to stand in its original location until today as a landmark. In 1993 the factory went through a tremendous change when a few architects converted the tower and building into condominiums and commercial space, which still exist today.
When I first stepped into the building to get into the elevator, I was amazed from what I saw. The hallways, interior garden patios, and the entire public space interior is designed in a contemporary style. I had driven by the tower many times, and would have never imagined anything like it. And this was all before I stepped into my clients’ apartment.
When I came in the first time before the remodeling, I saw that all the parts of the apartment surrounding the kitchen had a contemporary look which reflects my client’s taste. The kitchen area was not yet remodeled, and they were planning on refreshing the look and bringing it up to date.
The kitchen space was defined in its limits, and the shape of the walls were a challenge that required very detailed measurements and design to make sure that it all fit well into this usual space.
The tempered glass doors that were selected helped to reflect the style of the overall apartment. Instead of handles, the doors have a recessed grip made from aluminum which presents itself in a clean aesthetic look. The client fell in love with the metallic graphite finish of this door style, which is the perfect fit to work with the concrete tiles on the floor. The counter tops are a color similar to concrete with a touch of a warm brown tone, which blend nicely with the wood floor that spreads throughout the rest of the apartment. Frosted matte glass doors are also used for the wall cabinets above the table and desk area of the kitchen to give it a pleasant feeling for the couple while the have their everyday meals.
Looking at the final result made me very happy to realize that the new kitchen was not only the style and look that my clients wanted to have, but also the right fit and style of the rest of the apartment.