This amazing project is showcased in designKC’ s Spring issue. It also won a 2023 Best of Show REMY award and Regional NARI CotY award.
Our client has an impeccable eye with his contemporary style and a passion for the finer things in life. His curated collection of unique furnishings and artwork throughout his home are a testament to this. However, there were several areas of his Fairway home that didn't meet the same standards as the rest including the front multi-purpose room, and built-in bars within the kitchen. When Schloegel Design Consultant Nina Schmidt, CKBR met with him he challenged her to transform the kitchen's lackluster wet bar into a bourbon bar and the undefined music room into a lounge.
Building a Custom Bourbon Bar
Both existing bar spaces had white backdrops and felt a bit void in their design and function. The request from our client was to add plenty of storage for his extensive spirits collection and integrate an ice maker and wine fridge without replacing all the cabinetry. The bar style needed to tie in with the existing kitchen and elevate the overall level of sophistication.
The new design, while stunning, proved challenging. In the bar, we needed to keep the existing cabinetry and work in the wine fridge and ice machine. Nina’s design included two shelves made of marble. We had to engineer them to hold the heavy weight of the stone. On the other side of the bourbon bar, we designed wine storage with a moving panel feature to conceal the wine.
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Project Manager Kris Worden and Project Director Shannon Washam brought Nina’s designs to life and the revamped bar section now features open marble shelving enhanced by integrated diffused LED lighting that amps up the drama. The sleek honed marble slabs in the countertop and backsplash provide plenty of texture. The electrical plates on each side match the walls, and we didn't need to interrupt the marble slab. Integrated into the previous cabinetry is a wine fridge and ice maker with handles wrapped in dark leather. We reinstalled the original sink because our client loved how it also served as an ice bucket when hosting, though it now has a more elevated look against the contemporary and textural backdrop.
A showstopping feature of the bar is the remote-operated moving wall that disappears into the lower cabinets to unveil a wine display. Our creative artisans utilized a TV lift to handle the weight. For this section, we maintained continuity by using the same honed Pietra Grey marble for the countertop. However, we introduced wooden shelves to infuse a touch of warmth and harmonize with the original cabinetry. An antique mirror provides depth and texture and elevates the display, reflecting light into the room from the window.
Designing a Multi-Purpose Music Room
The music room was a bit of a blank slate with its white walls, vaulted ceiling, and beams. It didn’t have clearly defined spaces or function. As an entertainer extraordinaire our client wanted the room to become a speakeasy-inspired space that could house his finest bottles of bourbon and display his baby grand piano.
Nina wanted to create defined areas for the room including storage for our client’s Pappy Van Winkle collection. She created three purposeful areas that come together to make a comfortable lounge area.
A bespoke cabinet for storage anchors the room. Nina and our client went through multiple iterations before landing on the perfect look. She considered the proportion of open cubbies, cabinet doors, and brass screens. Each upper cabinet holds an individual bottle behind a brass mesh insert and features a magnetic-locking door. We left four compartments open to allow for various display opportunities like our client's collection of literature. To illuminate the shelving contents, we installed recessed puck lights and fabricated false bottoms to hide the electrical wiring. The bottom four cabinets have solid doors for more discreet storage. The toe kick on the cabinets is a piece of brass, giving it a luxurious finish. Kris added pilasters and modified the cabinets to deliver our vision perfectly.
Nina helped our client select Forged Steel by Sherwin Williams to color drench the music room transforming it into a dark and moody lounge. Relative Lighting helped the team select a new chandelier, art light, and alabaster sconces in an aged brass finish to finalize the look and allow for layered lighting options per occasion. To mirror the existing floors, we wrapped the 11' structural beams overhead in real pine wood with a natural finish that is striking against the dark gray background.
Our client now loves these new spaces for both quiet evenings and hosting events with friends and family. We also love the layered look with the lighting, multi-wood tones, brass, and dark finishes.
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