Best of Show: Creative Cooking Spaces

We asked our customers to submit their best kitchen projects and we were so pleased with the submissions! We know you’re going to love the results of these creative cooking spaces.  

Torch Lake Game Room & Kitchen

Marcusse Construction’s goal is to build “cool homes for a cool price,” while making sure they deliver the best results to provide lasting equity for clients. Tiffani Bylund, Lead Interior Designer with Marcusse Construction, has a BFA in Interior Design with a focus on sustainability, which makes her uniquely qualified for this project. She describes its aesthetic as “a space formed around the mixture of natural materials, textures and patterns to create a blended modern style with a coastal flare.” 

True to her focus on sustainability, Bylund’s goal with this lakefront property was to create a space to make memories and [to] pass on to their children and their children’s children. The unique challenge was embracing the lakefront location with the modern elements necessary for this large family to function.  

The design process begins with ideation. “The interesting thing about design and my inspiration is, it is all around us everywhere you look, you just must open your eyes to see it,” says Bylund.  

This property, intended to be a family vacation home, is located on beautiful Torch Lake, in Northern Michigan. Bylund notes, “Torch Lake was named the world’s third most beautiful lake by National Geographic and has been a special vacation destination for this family for generations.” 

This unique home incorporates a game room into a kitchen to create a vibrant entertaining space to allow the family to spend time together while cooking, eating and gaming.  

Byland describes her experiences with Ferguson Showrooms and Build.com as “exceptional.”  

Byland said, "I visit the showroom often to browse new materials, however, I work remotely most of the time due to my location in relation to the nearest showroom. Build.com has made that process now extremely easy for me. I have been using Build.com for many more purchases now. [But I] still correspond on all projects with our Ferguson Consultant and would like to personally mention and thank Brianna Stoecker from the Grand Rapids Showroom on all her expertise and assistance she has provided me and Marcusse Construction over the years.” 

Gold & White Galley & Pantry  

Andrea Fripp and Paulina Cervantes of Dual Concept Design (DCD) have styles that seem to balance each other when it comes to design. Andrea has an edgy and bold approach while Paulina has an eclectic style and love of color. Together, they create sophisticated designs that bring joy to each project they approach. 

Their process begins with truly listening to the client and getting to know their desires for the space. This encourages the client to feel confident that the firm will understand their intentions for the space. What follows is measuring and planning the future floorplan. But just as important, finding inspiration.  

“When we start a project, we love to start with the boldest item in the space – like a rug, or wall covering or a fabric for window treatments,” Fripp and Cervantes say. “Once that is selected, we use that as the inspiration for the rest of the room. The fabrics color schemes are put together by pulling colors out of our base – as we call it – which is the rug or wall covering we select in the early stages of the project... It may sound cliché, but inspiration is all around us!” 

For this space, the size of the island presented a unique challenge. Prior to the renovation, the kitchen had a large L-shaped, double-height island which was made up of several pieces of stone. The clients wanted a larger island with a single-height surface. The solution was to remove and replace the old island with a one-piece, Vico stone quartz slab.  

Additionally, the kitchen had slate floor tiles and the rest of their first floor had hardwood... In order to blend the kitchen with the rest of the home, the slate was replaced with complementary hardwood floors.

Of their experiences with Ferguson Showrooms and Build.com, the designers from DCD say, “We’re constantly inspired by new products we are exposed to by the wonderful vendors we work with. We love seeing the latest and greatest and then plotting the next room and including something that instantly caught our eye.” 

They continued, “We love that Build.com carries so many of our favorite brands and products in a variety of finishes and how easy it is to find exactly what we’re looking for – especially with all of the great filters and recommendations! We love the instant stock information, as well as all of the important documents such as spec sheets, warranty, and installation information right on the website.” 

The space is now casual yet refined. Bright whites and wood tones invoke welcoming vibes. The gold and brass accents and fixtures add a sophisticated touch to make this space the perfect redesign for this client. 

Mountaintop Cookhouse 

On the process of designing a custom space, Candace White, who has been in the industry for 20 years, believes in working closely with both the homeowner and the builder. This extra level of connection between the architecture and interior designer is key.  

First, White spends time on the property to get a sense of what it has to offer. “All property has positive as well as negative concerns to be addressed for consideration during this initial design phase.”  

White’s process is comprehensive and involved. Once the future homeowners have chosen a home designer and architect, she meets with them to discuss needs, desires, and budget. From plumbing to paint, flooring to furnishings, windows to wiring, White will work closely with your builder, suppliers and installers to facilitate the refinement of your home.

Initial designs are hand-sketched to allow the homeowners' free-flowing creativity to shine through. Then, all notes and designs are incorporated into the plan.

From initial design ideas, White then begins the process of laying out the design in AutoCAD to further refine and develop ideas.   

For this space, the goal was to create a cabin-esque, intimate feel in a larger space. This was achieved by the warm woods and nature-forward surroundings. The lighting contributes to the modern design along with classic fixtures, which are perfect choices for the space.  

White traveled to get the true showroom experience, which is unparalleled. White says shopping online can’t compare to the touch and feel of fixtures in person.   

This custom space turned out beautifully, with its welcoming feel and large kitchen, it's perfect for entertaining. 

Timeless Wooden Cookery  

Robin Burrill and Rob Mathews are no ordinary couple. They’re not even your average business owners! The two bring their multitude of talents, degrees and certifications to every project their firm takes on. Mathews is a Certified Remodeler while Burrill is a Professional Interior Designer, and together, they are co-owners of Signature Home Services. 

The team begins each design project by getting to know the client and understanding what they want in a profound way. They are inspired by what the client needs, and they build on that. Burrill says, “no client has all the answers! What they start me off with is what inspires me to fill in the rest.” 

This classic and timeless kitchen project was not without its challenges. The homeowner wanted all kitchen electronics behind cabinet doors, from the coffee maker to the toaster to the microwave. These cabinets and a custom island made for a “jigsaw puzzle of custom cabinetry design.”  

The range hood presented a different issue: how to vent the air! This required some clever solutions as the duct work was built, but worked out well in the end. 

This project is a striking mix of traditional and transitional design elements. It is generally traditional in its selections and detail, and transitional in its straight lines and modern feel. Combining these two styles definitely required compromises! 

However, the end result was worth it! Burrill says, “this kitchen is timeless. We’re navigating a phase now when most design selections are overly trendy; but this is a kitchen that will not date itself. In a decade, you’ll still be able to walk in and no one will say, ‘oh, this is definitely from the early 2020s.’” 

On their experience partnering with Build with Ferguson, Signature Home Services says that one of the best things about working with Ferguson is making client selections. “...the team acts as our true partner,“ says Burrill. “We go into the showroom, the team assists us, and we walk away with the best selections and far more information than we had going in! … Our experience always makes us feel as cared for as we make our own clients feel.” 

Dramatic Chic Bistro 

Erika Barczak of By Design Interiors, Inc. (BDI) says that design inspiration can be found anywhere, but that it’s easy to get overwhelmed with the multitude of sources and photos available online. The most important thing, Barczak says, is “for friends, family, even acquaintances to walk into a client’s space and say ‘oh! This is so you!’” 

Barczak certainly knows how to make that happen! Designing with BDI for over 10 years, she has since moved away from the Houston area (where BDI is based) but continues to pursue her individual career as well as consulting for her former firm. BDI is the perfect place for homeowners looking to update their space or design a new build. Part of their process is pairing each client with one of their multi-talented pool of designers who will understand the client’s wishes.  

For this project, the homeowner is a high-profile professional who wanted a chic entertaining space. That meant utilizing the client’s personal style to inspire the glamorous golds, bold blacks, and whites. A Cambria quartz waterfall edge island and gold vent hood add luxurious touches to the space as well. 

The project wasn’t without its challenges. Many of the internal walls had to be removed to bring natural light to the interior of the home and make full use of the tall ceilings and windows. A sitting room was used to expand the existing small primary bath and closet.  

When choosing fixtures and elements for the new kitchen, Barczak said Ferguson Showroom Consultant meetings were essential. “Working with a Ferguson Showroom expert is like having a design twin. ...the reps understand what is important for the designer to communicate with the homeowners. The showroom meetings are an amazing way to generate excitement for each project by being able to show such stunning options.” said Barczak. 

She continued to say that Build.com is great for supplementing the selection process because of its easy navigation and ability to check the stock of an item as well as find full specs. Barczak noted that Build.com has a fantastic selection of door and cabinet hardware along with utilitarian lighting fixtures. 

Contemporary Double Island Kitchen  

Nicole Lee of Forge Design Group uses her Fine Arts degree in Painting and Printmaking and Master of Fine Arts degree in Interior Environments every day in her approach to design. She finds inspiration in well-loved artwork and antiques, natural materials as well as earthy color palettes. 

Lee begins her design process by getting to know her clients by genuinely listening to their aesthetic preferences and learning how they operate in their home from day to day. Lee works to become familiar with the client’s existing space to sketch out several floor plans that will spark inspiration.

For this project, the goal was to create a “highly functioning single kitchen for multiple cooks and frequent entertaining.” This serene space is packed with amenities like an extra-capacity fridge, beverage center and bar area. The appliances are all luxury brands, many of which are Ferguson Showroom exclusives.  

Lee points out that visiting a Showroom is an irreplaceable experience. 

“I think it is critical to visit the Ferguson Showroom in person,” said Lee, “Our consultant at the time for this project was very helpful and readily available to answer questions and ensure that our ordered items were on schedule, thus helping to keep this project efficient and on track.” 

The result is this gorgeous kitchen, a beautiful mix of wood and light blue. Plenty of room for entertaining and the best appliances for producing delicious meals. 

All of these spaces are sophisticated, custom spaces thanks to talented designers and the best products from Ferguson Showrooms and Build.com.