2025 Kitchen Design Award: K Interiors

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Designing a space in a showcase house can be both thrilling and overwhelming. More thrilling as it gives designers the opportunity to display a much deeper level of creativity and drama than what most residential clients might allow. When selected to rethink the kitchen inside the 2024 San Francisco Decorator Showcase home, K Interiors was ready to explore new limits of design by celebrating the original history of the house while infusing it with modern romance. “Many kitchens have become void of personality in recent years, and I wanted this kitchen to reflect the intimacy of family and close friends shar- ing the space,” says founder and principal designer Kristen Peña. “The saturated color of the walls and ceiling, the mix of new and vintage lighting, and the soft curves and shapes all add to the romance of this space.”

The custom cabinets are by Gamma cabinetry. Photos by Christopher Stark.

The K Interiors team took a dramatic departure from the current kitchen design trend of covering each corner in neutral tones by embracing rich, jewel-toned colors. “The industry as a whole is craving more color, saturation and depth, and I think we saw that visualized throughout the first floor in particular of this year’s showcase,” Peña says. “The color palette for this kitchen was driven initially by the marble choice and further developed by the desire to reflect an old-world vibe and make this kitchen feel as if it would have belonged in the home when it was originally built in the late 1800s.”

The vessel is by Ink + Porcelain and the plumbing fixtures are by Waterworks. Photos by Christopher Stark.

Peña achieved this look by installing dramatic marble found at Da Vinci Marble that covers the countertops and backsplash and dark wood custom cabinetry fabricated by Gamma Cabinetry. The custom hood—which is Peña’s favorite moment in the room—features traditional-inspired curves that complement lighting by Barovier&Toso. The juxtaposition of both modern and traditional lines combined with the bold palette create a maximum level of mesmerizing charm. When asked if the project led to more work Peña remarks, “Yes, we were thrilled to be awarded a beautiful project on the peninsula as a result!” A job well earned.