The clients came to Silent Rivers with a desire to update their kitchen island. Â There were two underlying goals. Â First, the drywall bar front was continually getting scuffed and damaged with shoe marks, so durable and cleanable materials were a key component. Â Second, the plain front did not integrate well into the layered design of the loft condo. Instead it stood out as an anomaly in an otherwise lush design environment.
Taking cues from the industrial materials used throughout the unit and the building such as galvanized steel and raw wood, the redesigned island front captures a contemporary yet warm feel.  The angle of the bar top (by coincidence built by Silent Rivers for the previous homeowner), was incorporated into the front to create a “forced perspective” that enhances the island’s linear appearance.  Stacked maple boards along the corner reinforce and ground the end of the island when viewed from the living room. A cherry footrest with custom-fabricated steel brackets wraps around the island front, reflecting the cherry band on the bar top.