Going Organic Washington-based interior designer Vivian Braunohler has collaborated with kitchen designer Jennifer Gilmer so frequently over the years that there was no question the two would team up to create the kitchen in Braunohler’s vacation house on Nantucket. Though she loves her new home’s sleek, clean-lined interiors, Braunohler says, “I wanted the kitchen finishes to be warmer.”

The airy kitchen visually connects to the adjacent breakfast room, family room, and living room through large openings that emphasize the main level’s 18-foot cathedral ceilings. A functional layout places cabinetry and appliances in a U shape surrounding a large island clad in dark gray, hot-rolled steel. “It adds a soft, industrial look,” Gilmer explains, “and ties in with the oil-rubbed bronze sconces and cabinet hardware.”

White cabinets on the perimeter “keep it open and bright,” says Gilmer, who offset the cooktop cabinetry in wood so it resembles a piece of furniture. Under the cooktop, sliding doors open to pot-and-pan storage without blocking the passageway.

The designers integrated the hood into the design by covering it in drywall and commissioning a Nantucket artisan to coat it in a pale gray, waxed finish created using lime and pigments. A backsplash made of glazed tile from Morocco adds a touch of shimmer.

ARCHITECTURE: ANDREW KITCHEN, Workshop/apd, New York, New York. INTERIOR DESIGN: VIVIAN C. BRAUNOHLER, ASID, Braunohler Design Associates, LLC, Washington, DC. KITCHEN DESIGN: JENNIFER GILMER, CKD, Jennifer Gilmer Kitchen & Bath, Chevy Chase, Maryland.

All the Details
Cabinets: Premier Custom Built. Backsplash Tile: Renaissance Tile. Limestone Countertops: Stone Source. Ovens, Cooktop: Dacor. Pendants: Holly Hunt. Sconces: Palmer Hargrave. Custom Trough Sink: AK Metal. Custom Table: Balsamo Antiques. Chairs: Contemporary. Faucets: Waterworks.