Naturally Contemporary

Empty nesters who enjoy French cooking grace a Boston penthouse with a warm, contemporary esprit.

Having raised a family in a Boston suburb, these apartment owners—a humorist and a retail executive—moved back into town to enjoy more of the diversions the city has to offer. Their new roost: a penthouse of a 1920s building in Boston's historic Back Bay neighborhood with sweeping views in every direction. David Hacin of Hacin & Associates, Inc. was given a clean slate not only for the dated galley kitchen, but also for the entire apartment.

Anigre wood paneling continues throughout the home and in the kitchen conceals a 27-inch Sub-Zero. The dining table of old growth wood in an organic shape was purchased in New York for its art-status appeal and contrast with the straight lines of the other furnishings. Greenish grey cabinet paint makes a soft statement and is the complement of the warm Anigre on the color wheel—always an eye-pleasing effect.

Knowing the clients both really like to cook, especially French cuisine, he put the kitchen at the center of the penthouse, and to set out to make it comfortable for the couple to work in together. Three custom pot racks above the island put an innovative spin on an old classic and define the space with ergonomic utility. "If they're tucked away sometimes you just grab what's easiest," Hacin says. "Here, they can see them and think about exactly which pot or pan is the best for what they're doing. Really great control was important to them," he adds. "Sauces factor in with French cooking—and they like the simmer options the Wolf provides. Cooking is how they relax together. The kitchen feels natural and seamless with this house, and the finishes and colors are what achieved that."