Laminated Walls

Photo: Lisa Romerein; Designers: Frank Clementi, Julie Smith, architects

The graphic cabinetry pattern in this kitchen and dining room isn't just a pretty façade. It plays an important role in updating the space and making it comfortable. The challenge was to design a floor-to-ceiling wall of cabinets that didn't make the kitchen feel cramped and claustrophobic. The pattern seems to reduce the scale of the long wall by breaking it into sections. The cabinets incorporate panels of glow-in-the-dark laminates, which have led to hours of enjoyment for the couple's children--they play shadow games by pressing their hands against the glow-in-the-dark sections and turning off the lights to view the results.