Photo by Meghan bob Photography.
Three notable creatives located in California and Arizona synchronize laid-back Western vibes and highly original design influences. Daniel Germani is an award-winning architect and designer based in Phoenix who is upending the look of outdoor kitchens with a sleek, modern collection from Brown Jordan Outdoor Kitchens. William Hefner, architect and founder of Studio William Heffner, skillfully integrates the fine craft of building and a harmonious use of natural forms into his kitchen designs from studios in LA and Montecito. Caren Rideau, talented founder of The Kitchen Design Group in Los Angeles, is passionate about food, wine, family and friends, all topics she covers in her new cookbook “Caren Rideau: Kitchen Designer, Vintner, Entertaining at Home.” These leading innovators have a lot to say about how kitchens continue to evolve in terms of both efficiency and aesthetics.
William Hefner’s trademark is designing spaces that are warm and understated, evocative and original, and always richly restful. These design goals are met in the kitchen in several clever ways. “In order to prevent stainless steel from being visually dominant in the landscape of the kitchen, I like to cover as many appliances with cabinet fronts as possible,” he notes. “Things that are super popular right now are ranges with color and metal (brass, bronze, stainless) options that distinguish the kitchen. People are lighting some of the larger-scale faucet options. More and more, people are going for steam ovens as an appliance.”
Southern California’s sunny climate also influences Hefner’s kitchen aesthetic. “We try to design the homes so that they have hearty butler pantries, which allow the kitchen to be less encumbered with storage. Just the essentials are stored in the kitchen. This allows for more wall surfaces to be doors or windows. I don’t like the feeling of being cut off from the outdoors when I’m in a kitchen.”
Photos by Laura Hull (left and bottom right), and Trevor Tondro.
As far as trends, several mainstays are falling out of favor, Hefner says. “Fewer people are requesting microwave ovens. I’ve always had a dislike for traditional upper cabinets. I try to avoid them as much as possible or have them come all the way down to the countertop. I just feel like they often drag a kitchen down and make it feel so normal.” His take on Smart features in the kitchen? “If a client wants to indulge in those, my goal would be to hide them as much as possible. I don’t want the kitchen to look like a spaceship.”
Exemplary kitchen designs of Hefner’s include two stunning examples, “I love the family kitchen at Chateau des Fleurs, which is all black and brass. It’s about as over-the-top as we’ve done. I also love the kitchen at the Romero Canyon house in Montecito. It holds up one end of a large great room with warm woods and a glass and steel hood. AND there are no upper cabinets!”
Based in Phoenix, Arizona, Argentinian architect and designer Daniel Germani brings a global viewpoint to his eponymous design studio. His deep understanding of the design culture in America and Europe is recognized internationally, as seen in a slew of high-profile design awards. The multidisciplinary studio specializes in product design, design consultancy, interior design and architectural renovation, while innovative projects range from furniture to architectural products and accessories.
Thinking outside the box comes naturally to Germani, who has been a past and present creative director for notable furniture brands, including Brown Jordan Outdoor Kitchens, where he put his indelible stamp on the Elements outdoor kitchen collection of colorful, ultra-modern pieces. He describes it this way, “Embracing a pared-back, European aesthetic, Elements blurs the lines between cabinetry and furniture with accentuated legs and a sleek, frameless design featuring nested drawers and integrated handles for drawers and doors. Its minimalist design and detail-oriented functionality, including soft close doors and drawers and the flexibility to incorporate a range of appliances, make Elements look and feel like an indoor kitchen with the durability to withstand the outdoors.”
Brightly-infused colorways lend a whole new look to this outdoor kitchen collection, Germani explains. “Color can help bring a space to life, and as a product designer, it’s been a true joy to see growing demand for new finishes and to help design professionals bring their visions to life. For 2023, we’re introducing a stunning sapphire-inspired blue, and we’ll continue to explore new finishes to inspire great outdoor design.”
Germani’s leading role in outdoor kitchen designs has made a tremendous impact on backyard chefs around the world, he notes. “It’s been an incredible journey to see the growing momentum for outdoor design. The soaring demand for outdoor kitchen spaces reflects a significant shift in homeowner sentiment, and it’s one with serious staying power.” As for his product inspirations? “My aesthetic is influenced by the Bauhaus, Oscar Niemeyer, Le Corbusier, Mies van de Rohe and Frank Lloyd Wright, and our studio’s philosophy is simple: good design has to be honest and inspiring.”
Who says you can’t do it all? Not Caren Rideau, who happily embraces a multi-hyphenate list of professional pursuits: kitchen designer-cookbook author-vintner-business owner, among other roles. She likes nothing better than having friends over for a meal and greeting them with a glass of wine from Tierra y Vino, the vineyard she runs with her life partner Andrés Ibarra, possibly followed by a favorite meal of carne asada from her new cookbook.
In “Caren Rideau: Kitchen Designer, Vintner, Entertaining at Home,” she informs readers about her kitchen designs, wine-making and things that give her life meaning. “My work life spreads into my social life, and there are blurred lines about what is work and what is lifestyle or simply living!”
When asked about her fantasy kitchen, the answer was simple: “My favorite is a kitchen filled with love, laughter, joy and, of course, my family and friends. We can improvise with any appliances; cooking comes from the heart! The best kitchen, whether small or large, is a well-thought-out kitchen.”
Photos by Meghan bob Photography.
Her latest business ventures are wine- and design-related, Rideau explains. “Although educated in interior architecture and specializing in kitchens and baths for three-plus decades, I have been so excited to merge my wine business and my lifestyle of entertaining into one voice. After all, they are relatable to most, and I find my joy in sharing with others. And I am beyond excited to launch my new dinnerware line in collaboration with Gorky Gonzalez out of Guanajuato; it is a dream project. The patterns are inspired by my growing up in Arizona; the Southwest influence with the cactus design and the sunflower.”
With her passion for entertaining, Rideau has simple advice for prepping and planning. “Make dishes that are easy and don’t take you away from your guests. Plan the dishes you want to serve ahead of time. Set the table with linens and have your plates and flatware out. My grand rule is none of my guests are allowed to clean dishes.” As a final note, she shares her favorite toast, the one she uses around her own dinner table: “Give thanks to our friendships and our family, and know how to love one another.”
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