Wood is Good

I had the great fortune to visit this location—the Copenhagen showroom for the fabled Danish flooring company—shortly before it opened. Even as a corporate kitchen, it's a space that impresses with its materiality and craftsmanship. Designed by Dinesen creative director Thomas Lykke. dinesen.com

Coming to Grips

A delightful cabinet detail, this. A small, simple finger pull is amplified by a top layer of surfacing material. The effect calls attention to the shape, depth, and strata of the drawer front, all done in a surprising way. nicolajbo.dk

Material Meaning

How instructive to compare the natural patterns of two materials in this kitchen. Both the grain of the wood and the veining of the stone express the passage of time—perhaps hundreds of years. For me, that's a profound thought that goes beyond a mere surface treatment. tellointeriors.com

The Fifth Wall

Carrying the use of wood in this kitchen to include the ceiling gives the room a slight time-traveling air. Floating on top of a narrow band of white wall, it can be seen as a contemporary, contrasting treatment. But it could also be imagined as a historical throwback, revealing the 'original' ceiling. jeffreydungan.com

Hot Shot

Such a genteel outdoor kitchen design! No greasy BBQ cart or rickety structure to distract from enjoying al fresco cooking. [You might ask why I'm featuring such a summery environment before Memorial Day; we are experiencing a premature heat wave, with temperatures in the 90ºs, and it just seemed appropriate. Or maybe it's wishful thinking.] Situating the hearth at standing height is a stroke of genius, and continuous counters ensures prep work is convenient.

Aesthetic Equilibrium

I just noticed that several of my posts over the last week or so have mentioned balance, symmetry, stability...it's that ol' subconscious making itself heard again. This bath fits that pattern, too, with the offset-yet-mirroring design of the vanity. And speaking of mirrors: Of course there are two of them in the room. Balance, you know. stevenvolpe.com

Test[ing] Pattern

I must be subconsciously preoccupied with floors these days; this is the second post in as many weeks on the subject. Adopting the marbleizing technique that's traditionally used to create the endpapers in fine books, these wooden planks sport somewhat unpredictable patterns in a variety of color palettes. Installed in parquet layouts or straight runs, they'll certainly add zip to a room. snedkerstudio.dk

Flowing Flooring

The sinuous stripes formed by the Wave flooring may trigger a double-take from those who are more accustomed to the straight and narrow in underfoot. Made of European Oak, the planks are offered in a palette of subdued colors, such as this combination of grey and blue. Alternating boards with glossy and matte finishes adds another layer of interest to the already striking look. coraparquet.it

Behind Closed Door

Such a simple idea, so well executed! What makes it a standout—in my opinion—is the vertical divider on the exposed side of the cabinet. The easy way to treat it would have been to slap a piece of wood of the same thickness as the other interior shelves into the opening. Instead, care was taken, and a thinner panel was used, and set back from the outer perimeter of the unit. copatlife.it

Together and Apart

This clever storage concept addresses a pet peeve of mine: the uninspired end of a run of cabinets. Not only is this design functionally versatile, but the wine rack, drawer module, and shelving are rendered in wood, setting it all off nicely from the adjoining unassuming kitchen. warendorf.com

Top This

I see this week's posts are setting a spontaneous theme....

Surely the gallery-white design of this kitchen is no accident. The wooden countertop is a work of natural and man-made art. It's a shame the cooktop isn't compatible with the composition. Perhaps the slab would be better displayed as a backsplash? sachsenkuechen.de

On and Of the Edge

Susceptible to fire, disease, and a certain red-headed bird, wood is a vulnerable natural material. Perhaps that's at the root of its appeal to me—unlike stone, it is not permanent. This thick slab, with its subtle imperfections of texture and pattern, is a wonderful contrast to the uniformity of the concrete-coated cabinet doors. leicht.com

Hush

I'm going to take things slow this week; it's time to contemplate the quiet and the still in life. The lighting in this Japanese bath—set in a century-old onsen, or hot springs spa—is calming. Architect Kengo Kuma summons all the senses in his design for this retreat. kkaa.co.jp

A Real Floor Show

Continuing on the topic of mixing wood with stone, this floor would elevate any bathroom or kitchen. No, it's not encaustic tiles or herringbone parquet—but there are times when beauty and craftsmanship win out over fashion. parchettificiotoscano.it

Coulda, Wooda, Shoulda

As if a teak-lined shower wasn't fantastic in and of itself, the Nature Board also streamlines the construction process. The wooden floorboard comes attached to a rigid, waterproof substrate panel that installs using a tongue-and-groove system. The 'parquet' comes in four different patterns. stadur.com

New + Familiar

As our current crowd of presidential hopefuls are discovering, there's a knack to appearing both visionary and experienced. Get it wrong and you're toast, get it right and reap the benefits.

This bath finds a good balance between old and new, brashly mixing ordinary materials in a modern way. There's a 1950s feel to the blond wood, patterned tile, and terrazzo, but paired with contemporary faucets, the result is a fresh design. hearthstudio.com

Counter Point

I love stone counters, but sometimes the slab looks like an afterthought on top of the cabinets; the physical connection is there, but the pieces don't relate to one another very well. Here's a clever way around that. Framing the stone in the same wood as the cabinets not only shows off the slab's beauty, but when viewed from across the room, there's no stone datum line to complicate the composition. grattarola.it

Logging In

Designed by Willi Bruckbauer, who's not just a master carpenter but also an engineering whiz for ventilation manufacturer Bora, this kitchen island kicks off Earth Week at KBCULTURE. The origins of the piece are clear: A mighty oak tree that's been partially milled to support a concrete work surface, complete with sink and cooktops. Especially in this era of virtual reality, it's all too easy to lose touch with the natural world; this piece is a striking reminder of its strength and beauty. werkhaus.cc

Two Timing

I love the way this design creates an invented history at the same time it makes a contemporary statement. Cut back to frame the sink, the oak paneling reveals a 'substrate' of marble, suggesting there exists an older structure behind the wooden wall. stevenvandooren.be

An Appetizing Kitchen

Looking at this kitchen, I see swirls of cappuccino crema. Or maybe dissolving ribbons of hot chocolate. [Apologies: I'm obviously suffering the after-effects of a Thanksgiving food coma.] Still, the veining of the stone and the graining of the wood are definitely sumptuous, if not edible. The matte finish of the wall is most impressive; had it been polished, there would likely be a scattering of light reflections disrupting the pattern.