wissioming rd, bethesda, md

We redesigned a massive kitchen inside a home by modernist architect Bob Gurney to suit the needs of avid art collectors who regularly entertain for large groups of people. The space provides an easy flow from the surrounding patio to the 16-foot bar, which conceals a full bartending station behind it. We treated the leathered, absolute-black granite bar counter as sculpture in this art-centric home, which rises up from the floor and floats on a steel plinth atop the dark, spessart oak cabinetry.

The kitchen design unites two L-shaped volumes: the island and the wall of storage that comes out into a peninsula to visually contain the space within this wide-open area. The built-ins, which contain appliances, a pantry and a coffee bar, wrap around a fireplace and TV niche where the owners’ video art is broadcast. The lighting design was also intended as an artistic nod to constellations in the sky. The installation includes tiny spotlights that project onto the large paintings on the adjacent walls.