The Artesian Ridge Project
Meet Kelsey Roberts, the designer behind this serene outdoor kitchen located in Rancho Santa Fe, California. Kelsey has been an interior designer for nearly ten years, starting off at a premier residential firm in San Diego and most recently as the Principal Designer of her own firm, Kindred Design House.
An outdoor space for everyone
As a designer, Kelsey is most inspired by “spaces that hold historical significance… and well-worn interiors enmeshed with newer and more bold designs.” She is best known for layering found objects and family heirlooms with fresh design pieces, creating interiors that are relaxed yet refined. Above all, Kelsey loves “designing spaces for families, that’s always so inspirational for me,” she explains. “I have two little girls, 4 and 7, and I love creating spaces where families love to gather and be together and that’s always the most fun for me.” With that, we’re so excited to showcase her most recent outdoor kitchen project located in Rancho Santa Fe.
This outdoor kitchen originated from the client’s wish to have an inviting outdoor space where friends and family could gather. While Kelsey had worked extensively on the interior of this home, she explained that “the exterior had remained untouched, but we dreamt of creating a gorgeous space to entertain, lounge, swim, and connect with family and friends without having to step a foot indoors.”
In the beginning stages of designing an outdoor kitchen, it is most important to consider what the primary use of the space will be. In this case, “the family has 6 children, and they entertain a lot, so we needed this kitchen to be a real workhorse and to be as beautiful as it was functional. They really wanted this to be a place where they could just gather and love to be without having to worry and tiptoe around all the finishes and final selections for appliances,” comments Kelsey. For an outdoor kitchen in particular, the elements also play a part in the decision-making process. “While we don’t tend to get extreme weather here in Southern California, we are still contending with dust, wind, rain and the occasional furry friend. Particularly for our properties near the water, moisture and the potential of rust is also an important factor in our selections,” comments Kelsey. It is “important to consider what will be the easiest to maintain, clean, cover and use so an outdoor kitchen can be both ready for an impromptu barbeque or be buttoned up while the clients are vacationing,” adds Kelsey.
With the design vision complete, it then came time to select the appliances for the space and the clients had a clear vision of what would suit their lifestyle best after visiting the PIRCH San Diego showroom. For the grill in particular, “The Lynx grill was the client’s very first choice. He knew that’s what he wanted,” says Kelsey. The key features of the Lynx Sedona Grill include the ProSear infrared burner, illuminated knobs, rotisserie system, and ceramic radiant briquettes for even heat distribution. This grill was a fabulous choice for the family, seeing as it fit their criteria with the stainless-steel finish, top of the line construction, and practicality for entertaining large groups.
Accompanying the Lynx Sedona grill in this kitchen is the Wood Stone Bistro Home Oven. Based in Bellingham, Washington, Wood Stone has been manufacturing stone hearth ovens since 1990. Combining technologically advanced ceramics and engineering expertise with high quality construction, every Wood Stone hearth ensures exceptional results for professional chefs and home cooks alike. Kelsey comments that “Wood Stones are of my favorite things to specify any time I can get them into a project… [and] because the clients love to host this was absolutely perfect for them.” A visual and culinary showpiece for your kitchen, Wood Stone ovens are truly as beautiful as they are functional. And, you can cook any of your favorite dishes in one, from pizzas, to steaks, to desserts.
Another key consideration for this project was making the space as well equipped as possible, to eliminate going back and forth into the house. By specifying the Coyote trash center and warming drawer, “we were able to give them a really functional kitchen where we could keep the products warm, have trash outside and make it so that this was a really all-inclusive space where they could do a lot of things all at once without having to go back inside,” explains Kelsey. Naturally, the space would not be complete without refrigeration, so Kelsey chose the Zephyr undercounter beverage refrigerator to finish off the project. She comments that the “stainless steel front coordinated with all of the other appliances, which I really like the look of for this space.”
At PIRCH, we love helping homeowners and trade clients bring their projects to life. We strive to provide top-tier customer service to our customers, and our knowledgeable Sales Consultants ensure just that. Kelsey has been collaborating with Katheryne Willcuts from our San Diego showroom for several years now, and this outdoor project was no exception. “I love working with Katheryne Willcuts, she’s absolutely amazing,” Kelsey comments.” She has an incredible level of customer service and I know that with her and her team that they are going to give my clients the same level of care and attention that I give them. I am able to refer clients without reservation to PIRCH and to Katheryne.”
Of course, designing any kitchen is never without challenges, especially when you have a pool to work around. “We had a footprint of a pool that we couldn’t move so it ended up creating a long, narrow space. We were able to work around that though, given plenty of room for seating and for the kitchen. We didn’t want anything to feel crowded and we wanted to create good movement” says Kelsey. “Of course, with permitting and heights… we also had to be really mindful of the structure since we were building that from scratch. But I love the way it came together.”
Despite the challenges of the existing pool and structure, Kelsey raves about the finished product. “I am so happy with how the project turned out. And most importantly, the clients are delighted. They call it their favorite room of the house. And I can’t wait to see all the memories that they create in this space.”
To learn more about Kelsey Roberts and Kindred Design House, follow her on Instagram, and check out her website for more design inspiration.
