1. ERASE
ARTIFICIAL BARRIERS
“There’s no question that an open living
plan is now my clients’ favorite idea,” Mick
De Giulio says. “With the Kulases’ Chicago
house, we’re continuing an evolution that
makes spaces more livable.” Nothing inter-
rupts the flow of activity. Life unfolds
organically, and the kitchen is fully empow-
ered to live up to its oft-touted billing as
heart of the home.
The open plan also acknowledges ourintrinsic need for natural light. “People
have to have light flowing through a space
in order to feel alive,” De Giulio says.
He took care, though, to carve out inti-mate areas within the larger space. The
cooking zone, the island, the dining table,
the soft sofas by the fireplace—each spot is
right-sized, cozy, and utterly comfortable.
2. TAKE A CUE
FROM MARIE KONDO
If the popularity of the Japanese down-
sizing and organizing queen is any indica-
tion, we’re all ready to do with a little less
stuff and a lot less drama. So De Giulio
focused on essential beauty rather than
unnecessary ornamentation. “Yoanna and
I left only things important to the way they
really live,” he says.
A soothing, seamless space with no pre-tensions makes it easy to escape the arti-
fices and overload of the modern world.
Architectural and design elements serve
as sculpture, art in a home that puts no pri-
ority on tchotchke.
(^3) .REMEMBER WHAT’S
IRRESISTIBLE ABOUT
WHITE KITCHENS
White is classic—it will never go out of
style. White is calm, fresh, and clean. And
like a white plate, a white kitchen makes
whatever it holds look amazing.
Here, the tantalizing bits of eye candy
include a reclaimed-pine farm table modi-
fied to house a cooktop, a pine table and
bench, stainless-steel refrigerators and
an oven console, and plenty of Carrara
marble. “The wood grain, metal, and stone
become visually tactile against the white
backdrop,” De Giulio says.