When Thomas Fahrig and Michaela Spaeth bought a mid 80s house in Redmond, they already knew they would remodel the kitchen. It was dark and cramped, and they wanted to let more light in. Nothing too surprising for homeowners in the grey Northwest. But what is unusual is they had very distinctive European ideas for the new space.
“They just walked into the showroom,” explains designer Cathleen Summers, who is the exclusive SieMatic dealer in the Northwest. “They were German, and wanted the engineering and the functionality of the SieMatic products.” The high-end German cabinetry is known for its streamlined, clean aesthetic, and Fahrig and Spaeth knew about SieMatic’s interior components for storing everything from dried goods to pots and pans.
Fahrig, a software engineer, and Spaeth, a stay at home mom, are the parents of three children, and wanted the kitchen to be a sleek, efficient backdrop for their busy lives. With Summers Studio’s help, the couple chose white high-gloss laminate cabinets. The clients also asked for a tall pantry with doors that open up and pocket in.
“Michaela wanted to see a “happy” yellow color in the interior when she opened up the cabinet,” explains Summers. “And SieMatic had just introduced a signature yellow lacquer accent color. The color happens to also match her KitchenAid, which was designed as an integral part of the cabinet, on a fold and glide shelf.”
When asked if the white is ever too bright, Summers explains that it’s actually quite calming. “Even our white whites are more on the warm side, and the neutral monotone works really well with the surrounding cool concrete flooring in the kitchen and as a counterpoint to the warmer finishes and accents in the living and dining rooms.”
PROJECT SOURCES
CONTRACTOR Alchemy Building Company
KITCHEN DESIGNER Summers Studio, www.summers.studio
ARCHITECT Chris Pardo Design: Elemental Architecture, www.elementalarchitecture.com
CABINETRY SieMatic Seattle, www.siematic-seattle.com
