Designers team on their home kitchen

Warner and Allison McConaughey were at a kitchen and bath trade show a few years back when they spotted it: a 48-inch-wide professional grade Sub-Zero refrigerator.

With its glass front door and stately stainless steel finish, the couple knew the massive piece would become the focal point for the kitchen they were creating for their home on South Ponce de Leon Avenue. In doing so, the artful duo (she, an interior designer; he, owner of design and renovation company HammerSmith Inc.) followed their own best advice: Start with a splurge item you love.

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LOUIE FAVORITE/lfavorite@ajc.com

Warner McConaughey makes homemade pasta with daughter Zadie, 6, and son Wilson, 4.

JUNIOR LEAGUE OF ATLANTA TOUR OF KITCHENS
10 a.m.-4 p.m. Saturday; 11 a.m.-5 p.m. Sunday. Advance tickets, $25 (both days); $35 at the door. Chefs, cookbook authors and organic food vendors will hold demonstrations at each home. See www.jlatlanta.org/tok or call 678-916-3100 for details.
Other kitchens among the 14 on tour:
• 289 Ninth St.: This modern-meets-craftsman kitchen by Home ReBuilders is awash in citron and blue. The homeowners, veterans of the catering and restaurant business, wanted a funky space that was commercial in feel, thus Home ReBuilders used stainless steel from the sinks to island and storage.
• 515 Londonberry Road: Dream Kitchens of Georgia re-imagined an arts and craft-styled kitchen for their clients. The spacious kitchen features two islands (one primarily for food prep and the other for clean-up) and a bar helping designate the space from the adjoining family room. A highlight of the white oak and black walnut kitchen is the hand-made hammered copper hood atop the Dacor range.
• 1679 Homestead Ave.: Step back in time with a reproduction of an early 1900s bungalow kitchen by Schuon Kitchens and Dovetail Craftsmen. The light-filled room features white wall cabinets, white marble countertops and tile backsplash anchored by dark cherry base cabinets. Many appliances, save for the high-end Wolf range and Sub-Zero fridge, are hidden by cabinetry, keeping the space simple and clean.

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The McConaugheys’ kitchen is one of 14 featured this weekend on the 12th annual Junior League of Atlanta’s Tour of Kitchens. Ranging in style from contemporary to traditional, modern to craftsman, the kitchens spread from Druid Hills to the Chattahoochee.

A couple of thousand people typically attend the event, among the first to kick off Atlanta’s season of home and garden tours. The Junior League event features kitchens designed by some of the city’s top firms, such as Cucine LUBE, Design Galleria Kitchen & Bath Studio and Cornerstone Design. Local and celebrity chefs, including Cyrille Holota of Joël and William “Ford” Fry of JCT Kitchen, will give cooking demonstrations at each home.

HammerSmith-built kitchens have been showcased on the tour for the past decade, but with the McConaugheys having moved into their new home just a year ago, this marks the first time their private kitchen will be on display.

Inspired by the kitchens found in historic homes on Cumberland Island, traditionally staffed by servants, the McConaugheys aimed to create an industrial-meets-elegant space with floor-to-ceiling milky tile, Italian soapstone countertops and polished Louis-style barstools. An adjoining pantry and wet bar add extra storage while retaining the room’s cozy feel.

Their home is nearly 5,000 square feet, but the kitchen is comparatively modest at 250 square feet.

“We wanted our kitchen to be user-friendly — that’s why it’s not so huge,” Allison McConaughey explains. “It’s a refined industrial; it has real elements of elegance to it like the [Emeco] Kong chairs and the lighting.”

And unlike many designer kitchens gleaming with top-of-the-line appliances that often remained untouched, the McConaugheys use their kitchen daily for making fresh pasta, grilling or serving pancakes from the griddle of their Wolf range.

While the refrigerator was the basis of the design, Warner McConaughey’s favorite feature is the Miele coffee and espresso machine nestled into the wall, programmed to brew the perfect personalized cup to both Allison and Warner’s liking.

“I haven’t been to Starbucks since,” he says. “I’m trying to pay it off.”

KITCHEN RENOVATION TIPS

HammerSmith Inc. has tackled renovation and remodeling projects of all sizes, but Warner McConaughey says the key to timeless design is the same.

Here are his dos and don’ts for creating a functional, stylish kitchen to stand the test of time:

• Think about your goals. Do you want a chef’s kitchen? A space to entertain? A family-oriented area? Knowing how you want to use the space will guide the layout.

• Keep your ideas simple and stick to a few eye-catching elements.

• Pick one splurge item, such as a great range, but opt for less expensive cabinetry to save money.

• Nix overhead cabinets that can make small spaces feel closed in, but consider deep drawers and converting a closet into a pantry for extra storage.

• Don’t get lost in a massive island. It should be large enough to create a barrier that keeps guests on one side, but shouldn’t force you to walk a mile and a half for a PB&J.