When award-winning cookbook author Hannah Sunderani planned to renovate her kitchen, she wanted a light, bright space to match the one of her dreams
by HOLLY CRAWFORD
Hannah Sunderani always thought of her kitchen as a small, awkward space—one where she would never be able to have everything she wanted in a dream kitchen.
That all changed with the help of Tiffany Lee Design, who took all of Sunderani’s wishes and transformed them into the practical, heart-of-the-home kitchen she has always wanted.
Sunderani is the creator and plant-based recipe developer behind the popular Two Spoons blog (twospoons.ca), as well as author of The Two Spoons Cookbook. That meant aside from the usual kitchen requirements, lots of practical space for recipe experimenting, storage and making all those lovely food photos.
The cooktop becomes a focal point of the kitchen by giving it an entire wall that incorporates a shapely hood, eye-catching sconces and ample storage in drawers as well as cupboards that go right to the ceiling.
The design brief included wants for a timeless, elegant space with a zen vibe that didn’t feel like the current, cramped galley kitchen; a sink under the window looking out to the backyard; and incorporating an existing island as well as recently upgraded wall oven.
The result is a fresh kitchen with a classic white palette accentuated by pops of natural wood and warm metals.
Simply White by Benjamin Moore on both the walls and cabinetry creates an elegant envelope for the room. The existing island becomes the heart of the space with a coat of a muted green shade (Croquet by Benjamin Moore), that complements its existing marble countertop beautifully.
To complement the existing island’s marble, the new countertops and tiles were selected in soft white tones. “We picked a timeless, natural stone in white brick from Nanda Tiles. I love these tiles because they are made to look ‘imperfect,’ which gives the kitchen a more nostalgic and old-world feel,” says Sunderani. For the countertops, Pure White quartz by Caesarstone. “I absolutely love the sleek, minimalist feel of this countertop,” she says.
Prior to renovation, the stove was beside the dishwasher, now the cooktop takes centre stage. “Tiffany Leigh Design had the wonderful idea of creating a ‘cooktop station.’ We absolutely loved this idea as it framed the cooktop so beautifully, instead of being an afterthought. It’s one of my favourite parts of our redesign,” Sunderani says. The gas cooktop is by Jenn-Air, a model with beautiful iron grates, elegant brass burners, and discreet knobs in silver.
In the old kitchen, the sink was tucked in a corner. In it’s new position under a window, a farmhouse sink by Kohler is accentuated by an un-lacquered brass, deck-mount faucet by Kallista.
A large farmhouse-style sink blends perfectly with the natural stone tile in its new placement under the window. “I absolutely love this sink not only because it’s visually beautiful, but because it’s big enough to fit large pots and pans for cleaning. It’s also not too deep which means it’s comfortable on my lower back,” says Sunderani.
On the opposite end of the kitchen, a pantry wall incorporates open shelves to display favourite items, and creates a dedicated coffee station; a great way to move a regular kitchen task to a less high-traffic area. “My husband loves coffee! It makes it an area that’s now used daily, instead of just being a display wall.”
