Earthy Mediterranean

Capturing the esprit of rural Morocco, Spain and France, a designer gives a hardworking fashion pro a kitchen where she and her guests can relax in style.

A fashion executive who travels the world for her work wanted a space that would make the most of her precious time at home, particularly in the kitchen, where she enjoys recreating foods from around the world, and sharing the experience with her kids, friends and business colleagues.

She added a new wing to her 1950s Colonial ranch near St. Louis to accommodate a larger kitchen gathering space that would include a 48-inch Wolf range and a bold, earthy aesthetic recalling the easy living of Western Mediterranea. "She wanted something unusual—not the same thing you see everywhere," says kitchen designer Chris Novak Berry.

Berry recreated a Moroccan light fixture from a photograph the homeowner had in steel, iron, faux-painted copper and colored glass inserts, for a unique focal point. Panels of distressed wood, iron nails and hand-forged hardware transform the Sub-Zero into a Spanish armoire. "She doesn't have the chance to go shopping all the time and the Dual refrigeration ® of the Sub-Zero will keep foods longer and at a better quality than other refrigerators might," says Berry. Laid in a Versailles patter, three sizes of limestone floor tile appear randomly positioned for a casual feel. The palette of soapstone, honed granite, ceramic and terra cotta countertops, and mix of three woods all emanate a subtle earthy patina. "The whole idea was to create an interesting collected look that accumulated over time, that wasn't static or 'put together," Berry explains. Extending the windows to the counter also adds a casual, breezy feel. "These windows are standard size and width," Berry adds. "You can't always go up but you can make a window feel taller, simply by installing it lower."