Client’s Award-Winning Dream Kitchen Features Dedicated Baking Center

Home 8: 11655 Ridgemount Ave. W., Minnetonka, MN 55305
ASID Designer Kitchen Tour April 22 – 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. and April 23 – noon to 5 p.m.
Designed by Gigi Digiacomo • Digiacomo Homes, Inc.

This kitchen, with abundant pantry storage, a menu board used to announce the “cake of the week,” and a lowered counter for rolling dough, fashioning pies, and whipping up frosting, was designed around the homeowner’s love of cooking and baking. Gigi DiGiacomo of DiGiacomo Homes designed a “baking center” along the south wall as a stand-alone furniture piece using maple (instead of enamel, as was used on the other cabinets) and details from the homeowner’s existing furniture. The baking counter sits 6 inches below the remaining workspaces and cabinets, created specifically for baking supplies and appliances. While touring this home on the ASID Designer Kitchen Tour, check out the sprinkle and cookie cutter drawers. When it came to a color palette, Gigi incorporated the clients’ warm, dark Craftsman finishes in the existing dining room/library with bright colors for a fresh new look. “We all agreed on the use of cream enamel for the cabinetry, the same color used for the dining/library trim, but I felt like we struck gold when finding the handmade wall tile for the backsplash,” comments Gigi. The tile perfectly emulates the Arts and Crafts era pottery found throughout the  home, while keeping the feature wall colorful and modern. This kitchen makeover won an industry award in 2016. All main level spaces are on the ASID Designer Kitchen Tour.

Q&A with designer Gigi DiGiacomo:

What is just one thing you would recommend a homeowner do to completely change the look of their kitchen without undergoing a complete revamp? 
Tile and/or lighting can do a lot to change the look of a space. These items, more so than any others (such as countertops, appliances, cabinets and flooring) can be redone as stand-alone projects.

What’s one of your favorite trends right now?
I try to steer clear of trends—preferring to create a timeless, neutral palette that the homeowner can easily change up with fashionable soft furnishings such as pillows and rugs. But, I am happy to see the resurgence of wall coverings and hope this is one trend that is here to stay! I have always loved using wall coverings to draw attention to a feature or accent wall. There are so many gorgeous papers today that I often suggest them as a stand-alone work of art in smaller spaces. Check out the use of wallpaper in this home’s laundry and front entry (both on view as part of the tour).

What would you tell someone who strongly dislikes their kitchen but is too intimidated to hire a professional to help? 
There’s no need to be intimidated. A design meeting typically begins with a conversation in your home—think of it as having a cup of coffee with a friend who just happens to have a lot of great resources at her fingertips to help you create a space and look that reflects your own personal sense of style and budget. A professional will be able to help you quickly narrow down finish ideas and ensure that the final combination of tiles, lighting, colors and cabinets will have a finished look no matter what your style: modern and minimalist, traditional and tailored, or eclectic and comfortable.

For more information about this project on the ASID Designer Kitchen Tour, visit midwesthome.com/events/2017-asid-designer-kitchen-tour/tour-kitchens/digiacomo-homes-inc. For more information about Digiacomo Homes, visit www.designbuildmn.com. Tickets to the ASID Designer Kitchen Tour April 22 and 23 can be purchased for $15 in advance or $20 at the door ($10 for single home visits). Purchase tickets online here: midwesthome.com/events/2017-asid-designer-kitchen-tour/kitchen-tour-tickets.

By Chrissy Sarinske

 

Personal Designer

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