Thinly Veiled

SLATTED WALNUT DOORS SEPARATE THE DINING ROOM AND KITCHEN IN A REMODELED RANCH.

When Brad Walker’s longtime clients were ready to renovate the kitchen in their 1960s ranch-style home, he reworked the rooms around it, too. They wanted the kitchen to be connected to the dining room, but also wanted the option of privacy. “We had to find a balance between open and closed,” the architect says. The solution? Double-sided custom cabinetry with sliding slatted doors. When closed, the doors provide separation between the rooms; to open, they slide in front of the cabinetry on the dining side. “The slightly veiled conditions are interesting in either position,” Walker says.

1 A diptych by Boston artist Teri Malo from Artana hangs above the homeowner’s sideboard from Design Within Reach. “The painting reflects the autumn colors on the hillside visible through the doors on the opposite side of the room,” Walker says.

2 Since perfectly matching the cabinetry color with the floors would be impossible, Walker knew he had to go either a little lighter or a little darker with it. “Walnut makes sense in a midcentury modern house,” he says.

3 The Rimadesio doors from Casa Design Group are made from walnut slats with two interior layers of glass that sandwich fine bronze mesh. “As you get closer, you get new levels of nuance,” the architect says.

4 In an earlier renovation, Walker took advantage of the attic space by creating a nearly 2-foot deep tray ceiling with cross beams.

5 A handblown glass chandelier by Giopato & Coombes anchors the table and adds a transparent layer of visual interest in the middle of the room.

6 Comfortable upholstered chairs surround a contemporary extension table with a barely-there profile. “We left plenty of space around the table so the kids can build racetracks and things around it,” Walker says. “There’s a certain luxury in sparseness and airiness.”