San Diego Magazine /  At Home /  December 2008 /  Mixed Media

Mixed Media

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Mixed Media

Exotic veneers and striking surfaces create a playing field for light

BY ROWENA KELLEY | PHOTOGRAPHS BY JIM BRADY

It’s hard to imagine what more you could do to a condominium with panoramic views of the Coronado Bridge, the San Diego Bay and the field at Petco Park. Shutters would be sinful, heavy drapes a faux pas. And a plethora of artwork would only distract from the views. For a family who likes to entertain, however, the outlook had to be matched by a sophisticated yet comfortable interior.

“My clients have almost a 360-degree view, so while the interiors had to be stunning, we had to ensure they didn’t compete with the view,” says interior designer Kathleen M. Zbacnik, ASID, whose clients’ two units on the 27th floor of The Pinnacle downtown were joined to create a 5,000-square-foot home.

By letting views guide her space planning, Zbacnik was able to create an interior palette inspired by Champagne Bubbles, an exquisite fabric she discovered from Georgette of Beverly Hills. “When the sun comes through the sheer fabric, it creates a golden glow in the room,” she says. Yellows, golds and reds—colors that remind her of sunset—complete the look.

As with any high-rise project, this condo remodel wasn’t without its challenges. “We were faced with demolishing two kitchens and six bathrooms, then relocating the plumbing to achieve our goals,” says Zbacnik, principal of KZ Design Group and an expert on urban interiors. Over the past decade, she has remodeled more than 200 downtown condominiums. “We prioritized the views and placed rooms accordingly. The room with the best view looking south, west and north was the obvious choice for the great room.”

The kitchen was a feat that resulted in a stunning showpiece of exotic woods and curves. Zbacnik first resolved plumbing issues by getting permission to reroute pipes from the neighbor on the floor below. Gas lines and plumbing vents, however, couldn’t be manipulated. Instead, the designer covered them with a serpentine island topped with lustrous Magna Carta granite.

“I made the best of the situation and made the form of the island look deliberate and purposefully planned,” she says. “It turned out beautifully, and the clients love it.”

She also worked with Kitchen Expo to design curvilinear cabinetry that would camouflage other glitches caused by gas lines. To make cabinets look “like fine furniture,” she used a combination of two exotic veneers: makore and avodire, both from Africa. “The flush doors one can create from cabinetry come to life with the grain, richness and color of exotic veneers,” she says. Exaggerated curves add movement to the space. For added drama, she installed a backsplash of honey onyx and Giallo Reale marble in a basket-weave pattern.

Her clients were so thrilled with the curves in their kitchen that Zbacnik continued the serpentine design into the adjacent morning bar, complete with an espresso machine, hand-hammered copper sink, U-Line wine refrigerator and flat-screen television.

“Rather than alcohol being the theme of this bar, my clients wanted a different focus,” she says of the space with seating for four and plenty of barware for morning coffee as well as nightcaps. “The inspiration for the design came from Nero Portero Extra, a black marble with rich copper veining.” She used crotch mahogany, another exotic veneer, for the cabinetry; for the splash, an iridescent red tile from Oceanside Glass.

Across from the morning bar, pocket doors of the same mahogany lead to the media room, a rather large space that posed yet another test for the seasoned designer.

“The challenge was to create some intimacy while giving the client the big-theater experience,” Zbacnik says. “This was more of a family theater than a formal theater. Of course, comfort is always a big issue in a room like this.” She covered the walls in puckered linen to lend acoustic balance and installed Lutron QED shades over windows spanning an entire wall. An entertainment center of “perfectly book-matched” crotch mahogany panels displays the designer’s attention to detail.

Even in small spaces, Zbacnik chose materials that would make every inch spectacular. The powder room is testament to her talent for infusing personality into rooms of all shapes and sizes.

“It was certainly a challenge designing such a narrow galley,” she says. “But my clients wanted a pretty powder room. And now it’s one of the rooms I’m absolutely crazy about.”

A handcrafted wallpaper by Willem Van Es, named It’s Tarnished, sets the tone for an out-of-the-ordinary powder room. Its raised antique pattern plays homage to old-world romance, as does the wall fountain surrounded by a mosaic of Ming green marble. Zbacnik selected matching Ming green granite for the floor, bordered by Medici Acacia bronze molding from Arizona Tile. Pure Gold, a handblown vessel sink by Alchemy, is one of her signature marks.

“I like to combine shiny surfaces with matte surfaces,” she says. “Especially in this condo, where natural light is always coming in, it’s an excellent way to play on that light.”

Honey onyx is one of the stones that truly shine in this space. In the master bathroom, Zbacnik combined it with travertine and Bisazza glass tile—strategically placed so they would dance in the sunlight. And in the great room, she used the creamy stone to transform an otherwise ordinary fireplace into an art form. It blends harmoniously with the floor of tumbled travertine. In antique yellow with a wire-brushed finish, the oversized tiles are separated by a single strip of marble mosaic, which, she says, looks “like jewels” when the sun hits the floor.

“The play of light between the matte surfaces and shiny ones is amazing and creates a sparkling effect,” Zbacnik says. “Because of the finishes and details, we were able to transform two empty condos into a stunning, soft contemporary home with an eclectic Euro feel.”

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Resources

Interior design, space planning, custom furnishings and accessories by Kathleen M. Zbacnik, ASID, KZ Design Group, La Jolla, 858-454-8090; kzdesigngroup.com. General contractor: Jim George of CityScape Builders, North Park, 619-542-1060. Wallpaper installation by North County Wallcovering, Escondido, 760-39-9322. Motorized shades and draperies by Smith Shade, Lemon Grove, 619-299-2228; smithshade.com. Audio-video and lighting integration by Lightworks Architectural Lighting, Mira Mesa, 858-457-9100; sdlightworks.com. Specialty tiles through Waterworks, La Jolla, 858-454-0446, waterworks.com; Cabachon Tile & Stone, La Jolla, 858-454-8798, cabochontile.com; Arizona Tile, Miramar, 858-566-5971, arizonatile.com. Stone slabs through Arizona Tile and Marmol Export, Miramar, 858-530-3250; marmolusa.com. Kitchen cabinets by Kitchen Expo, La Jolla, 858-456-0050; kitchenexpo.com. Media room and bar cabinets by Cabinets Galore, Miramar, 858-586-0555; cabinetsgalore.net. Stone floor installation by Cutting Edge Tile & Stone, Bonita, 619-572-8540. Bedding through Levas & Son Draperies, Miramar, 858-566-6604. Closets by California Closets, Miramar, 858-695-0882; calclosets.com. Appliances through Ferguson Bath & Kitchen Gallery, Kearny Mesa, 858-278-0142; ferguson.com. Floral arrangements by BloomersAmy Slater, La Jolla, 858-454-3913; bloomersflowerslajolla.com.