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After a decade of cooking in an ornate kitchen straight out of a Tuscan villa—despite living in Fayetteville, Arkansas—interior designer Whitney Romanoff’s clients were more than ready for a reset. (Even if they’d loved the elaborate vent hood, it didn’t actually work.) The founder of Meet West Studio looked to a different European destination for inspiration: a modern Parisian pied-à-terre. In came a new sculptural plaster hood (a collaboration with Color Atelier), lots of marble, and a breakfast nook with a one-of-a-kind table. “Their two young kids have busy schedules filled with dance and basketball,” explains Romanoff. “Breakfast is their primary family meal together, so creating a place for them to gather every morning became a huge priority.” Here’s how she gave a busy family kitchen that je ne sais quoi.
A Range Hood That Finally Does Its Job
No impressive decorative features with little practical value here. Romanoff’s redesigned vent hood is as much a hardworking ventilation system as it is an architectural focal point. “Hand-applied plaster softens the hood and transforms it into a sculptural feature rather than simply an appliance surround,” explains Color Atelier cofounder Burcu Garnier. The finish also reflects light differently throughout the day, creating depth and movement that flat paint simply can’t replicate.
A Marble Island Worth the Extra Effort
Even untouched, it would be hard to miss the Borghini marble in the space—it makes up the countertops, the backsplash, and even a narrow shelf. But Romanoff pushed the material even further, choosing an elegant bullnose profile for the counters around the perimeter and devising a fluted edge treatment for the island that required extensive prototyping and a fabricator willing to tackle the complex job. Each piece was individually shaped and assembled to maintain the rhythm of the veining, creating the illusion of a single carved block of stone. That process alone took roughly eight weeks. But the result was well worth it, adding drama without overwhelming the room.
Small-But-Mighty Layout Tweaks
Because the couple cooks daily, they wanted easy access to frequently used appliances without sacrificing visual calm. Romanoff’s solution: A fluted-glass appliance garage with push-to-open doors. Nearby, the sink is positioned directly beside the range, streamlining the flow of rinsing, chopping, and sautéing. Last but not least, the designer tucked a pebble ice maker into the island. “We’re obsessed with it,” she says. “It makes every drink feel special.”
A Breakfast Nook
To make room for both the breakfast nook and a larger, dedicated dining area, Romanoff reworked a rarely used closet and adjacent niche just off the kitchen. A curved wall helps define the former, and creates a cozy backdrop for one of the project’s standout pieces: a rare 1969 Angelo Mangiarotti marble pedestal table. “It was love at first sight,” says Romanoff. “The stone has these incredible veins of blush, purple, and slate that pull tones from nearby rooms and break up all the warm neutrals.”
