This Sleek “Hidden” Kitchen Makes Minimalism Livable

For a family of four avid skiers who trade city life for Whistler’s powdery runs on weekends, their getaway home’s mid-tone wood and terracotta kitchen was falling flat. Enter designer Peter Wilds, a wizard at making even the sleekest of spaces feel livable and approachable. “My clients’ house has a traditional vibe, so I wanted to inject a sense of modernism,” he says. “Maximizing storage was also crucial.”

To achieve this, Peter wrapped clean-lined, hardware-free cabinetry in a U-shape around the kitchen’s perimeter, designed an island with conversational seating for trading slope stories and incorporated a dining area directly off the kitchen for après-ski meals. Striking fir columns and satin brass finishes are warm additions to the all-white space.

To optimize flow, a cooktop set right in the countertop, a full-size oven, a warming drawer and two sink areas work seamlessly with a casual chatting and eating zone at the end of the island. “Most kitchen islands saddle counter stools all along one side, but I wanted the space to be social, so I created a dining table–like area,” says Peter. Now, family meals can be enjoyed face-to-face.

Adjacent to the kitchen is the dining area, which boasts an expansive mirror that Peter designed and a 10-foot-long, whitewashed oak dining table surrounded by two different styles of chairs. “There’s a touch of modern, rustic and traditional,” says Peter.

Special care was taken to maintain the kitchen’s spare aesthetic, right down to the absence of cabinet pulls or knobs. “I designed the drawers to have angled edges for easy access without the need for hardware,” says Peter. A satin brass finish on the pendants, appliance handles and faucets warms things right up.