Photography: Werner Straube

The pandemic kicked off a real estate boom at its height—couples and families alike were on the hunt for larger spaces to accommodate changing lifestyles and work-from-home arrangements. When interior designer Briana Martin and her partner Nick decided to look for a place in New Buffalo, Michigan in 2020, they did so with the mindset that it would be a vacation home. “As soon as we moved in, though,” says Martin, “we realized it was our full-time sanctuary, and we promptly left Chicago behind—at least residentially,” explains the designer and founder of multidisciplinary design firm Boon Creative—which operates in both New Buffalo and Chicago. And since the kitchen—which offers gorgeous views of Lake Michigan—served as the beating heart of their home, they wanted to infuse it with what Martin describes as a “relaxed, beachy California aesthetic” which not only captures the urban vibrancy familiar to the couple, but also harmonizes seamlessly with the Prairie style inherent to the structure.

As a designer, Martin was all set to work on her kitchen in tandem with her general contractor, Steve Meyer Construction—but one phone call with Steve Karp of Bentwood in Chicago—and she realized his ease and facility with kitchen design and cabinetry would be invaluable. “We really worked as a team, and having Karp’s expertise on hand and not having to deal with any mistakes while having our vision brought to life, was really wonderful,” says Martin. 

“They entertain a lot but are very minimalistic, which posed a bit of a programming challenge,” says Karp. “We opened up the walls, moved a window to provide better views of Lake Michigan, and managed to fit in all the appliances and storage they needed.” Considering the renovations took place during the pandemic, the couple was also in search of refrigeration options without exorbitant lead times. “We had just come back from visiting the True Manufacturing facility in St. Louis—which is quite impressive,” explains Karp, “and we felt really good about recommending the residential side—especially as the brand is commercially renowned.” The recommendation was a hit. “When we went to see what True had to offer, we realized we had to have those refrigerators,” adds Martin. “We moved things around to accommodate them—the block of units aligns with the island and creates a really nice balance. They really brought our project to the next level.” The grouping consists of a full-sized 30” Beverage Column and a 48” Side by Side, all in Matte White with Gold hardware. “The glass door on the Refrigerator forces us to keep things organized,” laughs Martin. “It’s also a good motivation to keep healthy food in the fridge—we love arranging everything in the unit after a visit to the grocery store or the Farmer’s Market—all the colors and textures pop! And you can always turn the light off when it’s messy.”

The True units shine against the Bentwood-designed white oak cabinetry. “It’s very classic,” explains Martin. “Some might view it as traditional but we chose a Shaker profile that’s more modern—the grain of the wood is going the opposite way of a traditional Shaker style,” she says of the updated, fresh take. On the far side, the hood is concealed with ceramic tiles from Fireclay, echoed on the backsplash. The island, outfitted with a Taj Mahal Quartzite slab from Calia, is illuminated by natural light and pendants from The Future Perfect. To the left, an ultra chic coffee bar enhances the hospitality experience. “They entertain a lot,” comments  Karp, “so we wanted to make sure the coffee bar was outside of the kitchen triangle.” To make it a focal point without interfering with the rest of the kitchen’s design, Bentwood incorporated two large pilasters pulled forward to create a frame-within-a-frame. The white oak finish continues—bringing out the warmth necessitated by a Lake Michigan home. Within the coffee bar, the designer incorporated a True Residential 15” Clear Ice Machine and a 15” Wine Cabinet (which holds 45 bottles)—each with a custom panel, and a Zip Water bar faucet.  “We had a hard time deciding between a full-sized Wine Column and an undercounter unit. We ended up doing the latter and we love it—it’s the perfect amount for our red wine collection and how much we host,” says Martin. “And I had always heard that once you have an ice maker that makes clear ice, you never go back—and it’s so true,” she laughs. 

Once the kitchen was complete, Martin decided to apply her skills to the backyard to increase their livable footprint and host family gatherings more frequently. With the help of her general contractor, a gorgeous pool house fitted out with ipe wood cabinetry and blue-and-white Italian tiles set in a captivating alternating horizontal stack pattern, came to life. To have a fully-equipped outdoor kitchen, Martin incorporated True Residential units, including a 24” Refrigerator, 24” Beverage Center, and another 15” Clear Ice Machine—all in stainless steel. A nearby bathroom keeps to the theme with tiles from Clé in a blue-and-white diamond twist pattern.