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Ronnie
Harris displays her large and extraordinary collection of
African art in the kitchen and throughout her downtown
Milwaukee condo.
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Go Big at
Home
Whenever Ronnie
Harris returns from a business trip to her downtown Milwaukee condo
and its bright red kitchen, she wonders if she will have tired of it.
"I still love it three years later," she says. "I
wouldn’t change anything."
But she didn’t
always feel that way. Harris remembers waking up at 2 a.m. during the
planning stages, thinking, "OMG, I have a red kitchen. I panicked
about that for a long time," she says.
The kitchen was
a collaboration with interior designer Colleen J. Thompson of i.e.
design, Wauwatosa. "We knew we wanted to do something
different," Harris says. Once the project started coming
together, Harris says she was sold on her bold choices. She says she
loves the bamboo floors and the large island. "It’s beautiful
to look at and easy to work in," she says of the kitchen. She
loves the comments of visitors, too. "People say ‘Wow’ when
they see it."
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From
her condo in the Marine Terminal Lofts, Ronnie Harris has views
of the Milwaukee River, Lake Michigan and the Milwaukee skyline.
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The
bendable monorail light fixture mirrors the shape of the
island and adds a contemporary element to this Mequon kitchen.
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Show Room
As an interior
designer who works out of her home office, Kim Temkin-Taylor wanted
her kitchen to be a dramatic showcase for clients. But she also needed
it to function well for her family of four. "I didn’t want it
to be intimidating, I wanted it to be welcoming," she says.
Temkin-Taylor
used her designer’s eye in selecting the room’s finishes: from the
glass and slate tile backsplash, to the dark-stained custom-made alder
wood cabinets with pillow trim, to the limestone tile wood-look
flooring.
The kitchen’s
plum color palette was inspired by a housewarming gift from James
Hoffman Builders. "I stared at this plant and thought those are
the colors I need to bring in here," she says.
Temkin-Taylor
says the oversized island topped with honed granite is the keystone of
the kitchen. It accommodates food preparation, doubles as a buffet
while entertaining and acts as a people magnet. "This house if
very much about the mix (of materials, colors and textures) and that’s
what makes it work."
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Wood
Specialities built the custom cabinets and bookshelf for the
kitchen. The wood toned tile, installed by Floor Quest, and
granite counters by Designs in Marble, add to the earthy feel
of the space.
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Earthy Haven
Bob and Nancy
Lorenz were looking for a modern and earthy feel when they decided to
remodel the kitchen in their Delafield home. The small inefficient
space was expanded resulting in a beautiful view of their wooded
property.
The new addition
designed by Kent Johnson of Johnson Design, complements the Frank
Lloyd Wright inspired architecture of the home that was built in the
early 1950s.
"It was a
very small galley kitchen, about a quarter of the size," says Bob
Lorenz. "It’s turned into a living center."
Nancy Lorenz
loves the new size and ample workspace for baking and cooking. A
double Wolf range and Sub Zero refrigerator add to the ease in
preparing meals. "Thanksgiving was a breeze this year," says
Bob.
A new
screened-in porch off the kitchen is a favorite spot for the Lorenzes
in the warmer months and creates an outdoor living space for the
couple.
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The
large island provided space for a prep sink, under counter Sub
Zero refrigerator and microwave, along with additional storage
and seating. "Not only the size of the island but the
unique shape allowed this to happen," says Wisconsin
Kitchen Mart designer Matt Godfread.
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Style Meets
Function
A more
functional use of space was the key for the Skemps when they decided
to remodel the kitchen in their Brookfield home.
Wisconsin
Kitchen Mart designer Matt Godfread took on the challenge creating an
updated kitchen while maintaining the original Old World atmosphere.
"The
challenges were finding placement for all components of the kitchen
including two ovens, two refrigerators and the hutch, while providing
plenty of strategically placed storage areas and counter space,"
says Godfread. "One big element to the design that made this
possible was eliminating the two entrances from the hall and creating
one large cased arched opening, this allowed space for the hutch and
TV, wall oven and landing space for ipod, phones, etc."
Finishing
touches to the redesign include a Travertine stone hood customized for
the kitchen by the additional arch and decorative onlays. The piece
adds new texture and a design focal point to the room.
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