A Kitchen in Full Color

What's black and white and red all over? See for yourself as you step inside this Santa Monica home.

Dining Nook

Sunlit mornings in this octagonal breakfast room don't begin with the sound of a rooster crowing, nor do its French doors open to the rolling hills of a New England landscape--but you'd never know it to sit inside this kitchen. Though the California surf meets the shore close by, a classic black-and-white design scheme, softened by warm country red, transports the homeowners to Connecticut every day. "I knew that the couple--an events planner and a philanthropist, both in their mid-40s--loved the historic look of the Northeast," recalls designer Kathryne Dahlman of Studio City's Kathryne Designs. "So when I learned about the wife's affection for chicken and rooster motifs, I knew what I had to do."

Pictured: Up to eight can be seated at the oak reproduction table with its Macclesfield-style chairs. A quadrant of roosters inspired the palette, expressed in the draperies, iron chandelier shades, and toile cushions with red welting. The octagonal room, off the kitchen, features French doors and a turreted ceiling.

Mahogany Island

Using the birds as inspiration, a palette of black, white, and red was embraced, and oak dining pieces and copper accessories were added to warm the room and suggest New England antiques. "From the beginning, the challenge was to create a room both historic in tone and dynamic in energy, a place that was sophisticated but lighthearted and playful, too," says Kathryne. And working closely with architect Russell Tyner and contractor Brad Jensen, that's just what she did.

Pictured: White ceilings, wall tiles, and cabinetry balance the volume of the mahogany island and the deep tones of the walnut hardwood floors.

Black and White Range
Details: Checkered tile makes a big statement, uniting a black countertop and white walls.

Accessories: Contemporary accessories in a country palette enliven basic kitchen appliances.

Display: Copper kettles, old, and new, are set in a niche that alludes to a Colonial hearth.

Tile: Traditional meets modern in a black marble frame around gold and white tile.

Countertop: The dark, shiny surface of the Negro Marquina marble countertop actually reflects light.

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