Quarter-Figured Sepele
Steels the Show
This New Hampshire kitchen was an update of a dated and tired 1980s contemporary ranch kitchen that was primarily white laminate. The homeowner, an accomplished furniture maker, had searched for months trying to find inspiration to convince him it was time to invest in a new kitchen. This retired bachelor is an avid home chef and spends a great deal of time entertaining in the kitchen, so he wanted something special. After visits to dozens of showrooms and meetings with many designers, he clicked with Peter Lawton, saying that Peter both listened to him and inspired him.
When Peter selected a combination of Natural Bamboo and Quarter-Figured Sepele, both unusual woods for a kitchen, this woodworker found the inspiration he needed. Peter selected “flitches” of the Sepele (consecutive cuts from the same tree to be used together) and they had sample doors created before the job was ordered. These interesting woods were mated to jet black granite with an antiqued topical treatment to give the surface more texture and visual interest. The granite was used for countertops, backsplashes and window sills. The island, with raised surface, allows guests to gather around while this chef happily cooks for them. The hood above the cooktop was artistically hidden within a soffit of the Sapele to add visual tension to the design.
At the close of the job, Peter secured matching Sepele so that this homeowner could trim out the interior of his drawers and cabinets with dividers to fit his custom needs...a task that was a labor of love for this craftsman/chef.
