The prestigious Buckhead section of Atlanta, Georgia—often referred to as the “Beverly Hills of the South”—is the location of one of Atlanta’s wealthiest neighborhoods. The magnificent residences there include older
homes, like the impressive Greek Revival Georgia Governor’s Mansion built in 1967, as well as newly renovated houses and some that have
been completely redone.
This dignified high-Georgian-style home was completely rebuilt, and the new
grandeur is appropriately suited to the upscale Buckhead environment. Imposing
Corinthian columns support the elaborate pediments that embellish the front façade and entrance to the more than 12,000-square-foot mansion. These
architectural details are repeated in this exceptional kitchen area designed by
Yvonne Amon, president of Cornerstone Design Inc., also located in Atlanta. “We called our design concept ‘In Grand Style’ because of the dramatic presence of the kitchen cabinetry with its old-world
techniques used to create the detail and finishes,” says Amon. “Cornerstone is known for designing timeless spaces with classic touches like
handcrafted inlays of exotic woods and architectural details that are the
result of years of refinement in cabinet making.”
The entertainment kitchen, as Amon refers to it, is quite simply that. It was
created for entertainment, with the open floor plan leading to a great room and
a breakfast area. The homeowners have a smaller kitchen that they use on a
daily basis. The room is twenty-five feet wide by sixteen feet deep with a
ceiling height that starts at fourteen and a half feet at the walls and goes up
as the ceiling peaks in the center of the room. “We wanted the architectural elements of the kitchen to mimic the architectural
elements of the home itself, so we used pediments and Corinthian columns as
accents on the cabinetry,” explains Amon.
The cabinets are incredibly detailed and imposing in size. The island, with its
elegantly curved doors and hand-carved moldings, is thirteen and a half feet
long and double-wide, reaching from a depth of forty-two inches to areas that
measure forty-eight inches in depth, offering plenty of storage. “Reflecting European tradition, the kitchen showcases Louis Philippe-inspired
cabinetry that gives the space consistent elegance,” says Amon. The island and the cabinets are made of rich dark cherry featuring
marquetry, medallions, ash burl, mahogany ribbon inlay, satin wood, wenge, and
ebony. A hand-rubbed glaze, along with many hand-carved details, creates the
look and feel of fine French antiques.
Countertops are Turkish Crema Marfil marble, and the warm cream tones blend
beautifully with the varied wood shades. The island has a double sink, two
concealed dishwashers, roll-out drawers, and pull-out cabinets. The base
cabinetry along the wall also has a Crema Marfil countertop and holds a large
professional gas cooktop with four burners and a French Top, which is a flat,
smooth steel plate with removable circular plates. It can be used as a flat
cooking surface with areas away from the central heat source becoming gradually
cooler, thus perfect for cooking sauces. When the circular plates are removed,
the cooking pot can come into direct contact with the flame. Under the range
top are two warming drawers, concealed by fronts inlaid with ash burl and
marquetry.
The range hood is made of scagliola stone, the oldest known form of
manmade/composite stone. The composite is molded and colored and can be
fashioned into nearly unlimited forms. In this case, the stone encompasses the main hood area, which resembles hammered
copper, and the support and trim pieces of the hood, which look like ornate
carvings. Scagliola stone was also used on the fireplace mantel in the great
room.
The backsplash is a mini brick pattern of 1 x 2½ inch honey onyx tile accented by diamonds of 6 x 6 inch oil-rubbed bronze metal
custom tile with a tiger’s eye jewel in the center. The bronze and tiger’s eye theme is repeated throughout the kitchen in the drawer and door pulls of
handmade metal hardware with tiger’s eye jewels and in the oil-rubbed bronze faucets.
The upper wall cabinets have stylized double Gothic mullions on the doors, are
highlighted with gold accents, and are backlit on the inside. The mullions and
fine wood finishes can be found on much of the cabinetry, including the
bookcases on either side of the fireplace in the great room.
“This project achieved our client’s desire for an extremely functional yet dramatic kitchen area,” says Amon. “We combined the most current technology with wonderful architectural detail and
classic European design and craftsmanship.”
