Written by Trudy Walz | Design by Peter Salerno Inc. | Photography by Peter Rymwid
There were no cell phone photos or pages ripped from trade magazines. Instead, a simple picture of an abandoned blue car rusting away in a cornfield was the only thing Peter Salerno’s client, an architect with a home in Tewksbury, brought to the table when he asked the designer to renovate his kitchen.
“The first thing he said to me was, ‘I want something nobody else has,’” Salerno says. Then the client handed him the picture and told him, “I want this to be your inspiration.” Salerno, who in his 20 years in the business has achieved 34 national awards and has showrooms in Wyckoff and Mendham, began the renovation by painting pieces of steel and leaving them outdoors to weather. He created various mock-ups and samples until he finally hit upon the look the client was seeking.
Above: An eclectic array of materials live in harmony in this kitchen renovation by Peter Salerno, with flooring that emulates the look of blue jeans, a countertop that feels like leather and cabinetry faced with rice paper, orange resin and cherry wood.
Once the 18-foot-by-14-foot space was gutted, he began playing to that aesthetic with his artistic flare, and by mixing materials and textures, he created a design that’s as functional as it is unique.
Dominating the outside wall of the space is a masterpiece in its own right: a custom-made forced patina steel hood. It caps an eight-burner Miele gas range set into a natural quartzite Leathered Taj Mahal countertop (yes—it feels like leather!), the shell of which is the handiwork of SimplyAmy Luxury Artisans of Milford. Blow-torched to produce a swirling blend of browns and oranges with a barely discernable hint of blue, the hood matches the cold-rolled steel panels on the 10-foot-by-4-foot island, which anchors the space. A 30-inch stainless steel farm sink with apron by Texas Lightsmith sits below one of the windows flanking the hood. The backsplash, a glass mosaic by Frangi Pani, yielded yet another opportunity to switch up materials and add texture.
Now about that island. It is, Salerno says, “the jewel of the kitchen.” It is topped with a double-build (two slabs, proportionate to the 9-foot ceiling) of Blue Louise polished granite that adds a pop of blue to the color scheme, and equipped with a Miele dishwasher.
Also onboard: a combination steam oven, as well as a second stainless steel, 30-inch farm sink with apron. Both sinks, by the way, feature brushed stainless steel Waterstone faucets—one with insta-hot and filtered-cold capabilities. But, truth be told, the real workhorse in the room is the wall of floor-to-ceiling maple cabinetry opposite the island. Panels of stippled metal disguise the embedded 42-inch Sub-Zero refrigerator with French doors. A double-door cabinet away are a Miele double oven and warming drawer. To the right, a La Cornue Flamberge rotisserie is centered in a set-back section of cabinets.
Among the finishing touches provided by interior designer Diane Boyer of Cedar Grove is the free-form chandelier above the island, a Hubbardton Forge custom light fixture. She also added the abstract art work. One of the aspects of the project Salerno enjoyed was using a variety of materials and textures together in such a harmonious way. Even the flooring, Porcelain Visone from Strata Tile of Wyckoff, is made to “look like denim jeans,” he says.
“I found it super challenging, and when it was completed, I found it so rewarding.”
And his client? “He was ecstatic!”
The 18-foot-by-14-foot space is fully equipped with Miele appliances as well as a La Cornue Flamberge rotisserie. A custom-made forced patina steel hood dominates the outside wall. Interior designer Diane Boyer of Cedar Grove supplemented the eclectic feel of the space with a free-form chandelier and abstract artwork.