When you have a super-small kitchen—with only open storage, to boot—every detail is writ large, and there’s little room for error. Fortunately, this minuscule but mighty office kitchenette was dreamed up by a pro, one who happens to have a knack for customized storage, a love for considered materials, and a penchant for challenging projects: Lynn Kloythanomsup of Bay Area-based Landed Interiors & Homes.
“We were asked to design the remodel of an office in the Panhandle area of San Francisco,” says Lynn, of her clients, the design and branding agency Design by Offset. “Since they often host meetings for their own clients, many of them in the food and wine industry, they asked for a kitchen that they could actually cook in, despite its postage-stamp size.”
Just how small? Try 30 square feet. In this tiny footprint, Lynn was able to fit in a beverage refrigerator, a small convection oven, a hot plate, as well as storage for small appliances. And she was able to make it all look beautiful—in a style, she says, inspired by “Japanese cabinetry and joinery, Northern California materials, and a utilitarian lifestyle.”
Let’s take a tour; then scroll down to learn how to steal the look.
Photography by Mariko Reed, courtesy of Landed Interiors & Homes.
Above: “We designed each shelf space in the sink base shelving to fit specific appliances because the shelves are not adjustable. They’re built with mortise and tenon joinery,” says Lynn. “The striped curtain hides a multitude of sins! The clients store extra folding chairs, a stepladder, cloth shopping bags, extra wine bottles, and their aprons in the closet.”
Above: “The base shelving was custom made by our woodworker EVG Design for a custom concrete counter with integrated sink and drainboard made by SC Fabrication.”
Above: “The wall treatment throughout the space is a favorite touch. We recreated a lime-plaster look with natural, non-toxic paint and a protective coat. We used milk paint from The Real Milk Paint Co. The result is a subtle cloudy effect on flat-textured walls,” explains Lynn. A John Boos & Co. walnut cutting board mounted on brackets makes a tidy butcher-block countertop. (The artwork is a 1984 collage design by visual designer Ivan Chermayeff.)
Above: Douglas fir was used throughout the office, which, in addition to the kitchenette, includes an office work area and a conference and research space. “Partner Byron Hoffman brought in his Napa family connections for the custom build-out, and many of the defining elements of the project are made by relatives, including woodworking and concrete work,” says Lynn.
Below, how to steal the look.
Storage
Above: Lynn sourced the stainless steel Wall-Mounted Shelving from a restaurant supplies store. For an online option, she suggest WebstaurantStore.
Above: The Laguna Rattan Shelf Basket by Kouboo comes with a removable cotton liner; $64.50.
Above: For a similar trash bin, try Brabantia’s affordable Step Trash Can; from $63.95 on Amazon.
Appliances
Above: Breville’s Smart Oven Air with Convection is $399.95 at Williams Sonoma.
Above: Summit’s Under-Counter Beverage Cooler is $849 at AJ Madison.
Basics
Above: From Italy’s Ceramica Rondine, the ceramic New York Black Tiles have a matte finish.
Above: According to The Real Milk Paint Co., “Oyster Grey paint is a dark gray paint color, like fresh oyster shells pulled right from the bay.” It’s $18.99 for a pint; $29.99 for a quart; $69.99 for a gallon.
Above: The Edison Pull-down Spray Kitchen Faucet by Vigo is $174.90 from Build.com.
Above: The Rhodes Metal and Wood Seat Square Counter Stool by Project 62 is no longer available at Target; for a similar silhouette, try the National Public Seating stools commonly used in science labs, available from Webstaurant Store.
Lighting
Above: The Tolomeo LED Wall Light by Artemide starts at $425 at DWR.
Above: SC Fabrication fabricated the custom lightweight concrete pendant light. For a similar look, try the Sigmund Pendant Light by Regina Andrea; available in two sizes, from $318.75 at Lumens.
Ceramics
Above: The handmade Original Large Mugs by W/R/F Lab are $46 each.
Textiles
Above: Fog Linen’s Kitchen Cloths are $32 for a set of three.
Above: Pottery Barn’s linen and cotton Riviera Stripe Blackout Curtain starts at $149.
For more Steal This Look posts, see:
- Steal This Look: A Spa-Like Sanctuary in LA
- Steal This Look: Tools for an Organized Closet
- Steal This Look: A Hushed Bedroom in Calming Colors
N.B.: This story originally appeared on October 27, 2020 and has been updated with new links and information.
