32 BEAUTIFUL KITCHENS & BATHS

Foreign Affair

The kitchen is the hub of this Moroccan-inspired Florida retreat defined by fresh air and easy flow.

WRITER Mallory AbreuPHOTOS Jess ica Klewicki GlynnFIELD EDITOR Eleanor Lynn Nesmith

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Foreign Affair

An alfresco dining courtyard is visible through floor-to-ceiling window panels with frames in a statement black finish. A wooden screen featuring traditional Moroccan patterning separates the kitchen from the living area without impeding the open circulation of the space.

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THIS PHOTO: Architectural detailing above the sink and in recessed display shelves is referenced in the kitchen’s chandelier design, which emphasizes the home’s arch motif. OPPOSITE: Moroccan-style urns tuck into the recessed niches above paneled appliances. “This house is all about abundant texture, aged brass finishes, and having at least one antique in every room to warm things up and add character,” interior designer Chelsea Robinson says.

the planBecause of Mitch and Jennifer Boult’s love of entertaining, as well as the nearly year-round sunny Florida weather, an open floor plan bridging the indoors and outdoors made perfect sense. Windows and a door connect the kitchen with outdoor lounging and dining areas; a built-in banquette centers an informal entertainment space.

MEANDER YOUR WAY through

the many courtyards of this Moroccan-inspired

residence and into the kitchen, and you’re likely

to find homeowner Mitch Boult, lounging on

the cushioned banquette. “I can sit here and reach

behind me, and there are glasses and bottles of wine,

and I can reach in front of me and there’s the table

with all the food,” he says with a laugh. “I’m in the

middle of everything and everyone.”

Mitch’s wife, Jennifer, and daughters Katharine,

Caroline, and Mary are right there with him—

often after a long day fishing in Panama City,

Florida. The atmosphere is leisurely: The banquette

backs up to the kitchen’s island so that family and

friends can converse freely, whether sitting at the

table or chopping vegetables at the sink close by.

It’s a space that effortlessly combines entertainment

and relaxation—two things the Boults know well.

“We’ll come home and just spend a few hours

grilling the fish, cooking it a few different ways,”

Mitch says. “People will be standing around, eating,

drinking, chatting until midnight when we all

stagger off to bed.”

It’s this idea of openness and public space that

drove the home’s design. Working with husband-

and-wife architects Erik Vogt and Marieanne

Khoury-Vogt, the Boults drew inspiration from

the traditional Moroccan riad—a home built

around interior courtyards and seamless transitions

between indoor and outdoor spaces. The home’s

main level features a central combined kitchen and

living area, surrounded by patios where the family

dines alfresco and lounges in the sea-salted breeze.

“The attention to detail and how light and air

move through those spaces was critical,” Khoury-

Vogt says. “The kitchen communicates directly

with the outdoor patios, so you get this beautiful

light that comes in.”

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Exterior stucco leads into the kitchen’s whitewashed interior

of veneer plaster. The kitchen’s textures are enhanced by the

sun streaming through floor-to-ceiling windows, or dappled

from light dancing through the space’s wooden screen divider.

“When the light hits the plaster, you can see the movement

of the hand that applied it,” Khoury-Vogt says. “It really looks

like you molded the interior space out of this material.” For

contrast, she paneled the refrigerator in ebonized wood to match

the cabinetry and added shapely pulls in rich brass, which will

develop a characteristic patina over time.

Although the home is of recent construction, details like these

give it a sense of history. Interior designer Chelsea Robinson

supplemented the timeless architecture with antiques and

textural, geometric accents. Moroccan glazed backsplash tile and

Dominican shellstone flooring bring in subtle pattern and lend an

earthiness to the space. “We want our clients to feel transported,

that these houses are not like their everyday life,” Khoury-Vogt

says. “We want to deliver an experience that can be a little more

whimsical and a little more unexpected.”

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FAR LEFT: Ebonized cabinetry hides appliances to continue the sense of connected living space throughout the home’s first floor. LEFT: Ornate, curved brass hardware ensures that the kitchen’s black-and-white color scheme reads more as Moroccan than as simply modern. OPPOSITE: Shapely glazed ceramic backsplash tile emphasizes the panel of tall windows above the sink and weaves the kitchen’s blacks and whites together with a subtle pattern.

DESIGNER INSIGHTS:GLOBAL FUSIONBorrowing design motifs from faraway locales can add personality and luxury to a kitchen, if done right. Here’s how to create the space you imagine:

• Find a knowledgeable architect. Make sure your architect and designer are versed in the vernacular of your inspirational place. Otherwise, attempts to make a space feel like a foreign getaway might end up feeling stereotypical and uninformed.

• Consider climate. For a comfortable kitchen, think about your local environment when drawing inspiration from abroad. “The Moroccan and Florida Panhandle climates are sort of identical,” homeowner Mitch Boult says. “The courtyards allow the house to capture breezes and be naturally cooled.”

• Connect the whole home. If your kitchen has a distinct flavor, make sure this aesthetic continues throughout the house for continuity. “When the kitchen opens to the living area, you really want it to feel cohesive,” architect Marieanne Khoury-Vogt says. In this Moroccan-inspired home, a repeating arch motif creates consistent connections.

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