During the conversion of a pre-war row house to three condos in the Columbia Heights neighborhood of Northwest DC, Davida Rodriguez was brought in to design kitchens that would mirror the fresh, modern aesthetic the developer sought. “I wanted to make the kitchens feel extravagant on a budget,” she says.
Rodriguez played off contrasting elements in her designs. In our favorite, pictured here, she chose textured black and high-gloss, white-painted cabinets by Canada-based Miralis. The hood, encased in white glass tile, creates a strong visual block, while an attached panel made of black-painted drywall floats above the island to impart an airy feel. The same glass tile in black forms the backsplash. A niche for decorative items breaks up a solid wall of cabinetry. “I like to play with positive and negative space,” Rodriguez explains. “Any kind of opening or floating element creates drama, openness, and lightness.”
Between the refrigerator and wall ovens, a line of cabinets in aluminum and frosted glass lengthens the room visually while adding interest. Engineered quartz in Arctic White brings a crisp, clean feel to the countertops, which on the island boast a waterfall edge. Taking advantage of the kitchen’s 11-foot height, Rodriguez specified ceiling-height cabinets; the hood and floating panel cleverly fill the space created by the high ceilings, while recessed lights in the panel illuminate the island. Concrete floors convey an industrial vibe. Stainless-steel Bosch appliances and chrome counter stools complement the room’s contemporary feel.
Kitchen Design: Davida Rodriguez, CKD, Davida’s Kitchen & Tiles, Gaithersburg, Maryland. Developer & Builder: Rashid Salem, Q Street Development, Washington, DC. Photography: Bob Narod.
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