Harmonious homes tend to have harmonious owners, compatible in spirit and design preferences. That’s true of the empty nesters who built this Lakeview Retreat on a beloved property that had been in their family for generations. “These clients were completely in sync when it came to knowing what they wanted and decision-making,” says Kristine Anderson, principal of PKA Architecture. One of their top priorities was a congenial and connected kitchen and pantry to prepare and serve meals for family and friends. They never dreamed it would become a finalist in an international design competition. “None of us expected that to happen,” says Anderson.
Nevertheless, this warm, light-filled space rose to the top of over 1,600 global entries to earn a finalist spot in the prestigious 2022–2023 Sub-Zero, Wolf, and Cove Kitchen Design Contest (KDC). Not everyone was surprised, including Rosemary Merrill, trade and builder representative for local luxury showroom, Roth Living (reopening early 2025), the exclusive Sub-Zero, Wolf, and Cove regional distributor. “When I saw this kitchen, I knew they would be a finalist if not a winner,” says Merrill.
Photography by Spacecrafting
Like most well-designed rooms, the space feels effortless in a way that belies its precise details, which include large windows and an airy vault. Key to the ease of the space are expanses of white oak cabinetry — a calm envelope that punctuates the view and the homeowner’s colorful Fiestaware collection (displayed in open plate racks). “The cabinetry creates a kind of nest around the room,” explains Anderson.
One unconventional touch is the location of the Wolf Range along a bank of windows, but it makes sense here. “The homeowner loves to cook, and we wanted to allow her to be a part of the lake activity while she does it,” says Tammy Angaran, project manager at PKA. She and Anderson tapped into some architectural ingenuity to find a spot for the exhaust fan, meeting the challenge with a white oak soffit that conceals the ventilation hood without blocking the view. Next to the kitchen, a hard-working pantry allows the residents to prepare and store large meals ahead of family gatherings. It functions like a secondary kitchen with a Wolf wall oven and warming drawer and a Sub-Zero refrigerator, freezer, ice maker and wine fridge. Here, the white oak continues, but the appliances appear in all their stainless-steel glory, signaling the no-nonsense nature of the space.
“The clients have had Sub-Zero and Wolf before and wanted them here because they’re reliable and keep food fresher longer,” says Anderson. “As architects, we appreciate the versatility of being panel-ready or stainless,” she adds. “We can be bold in some areas and quieter in others.”
As a KDC finalist, Anderson, and Angaran mingled with other nominated designers at The Breakers in Palm Beach, Florida, at the gala and summit. Merrill points out that entries are now open for the 2024–2025 KDC and close at the end of January 2026. “This is the best kitchen design contest in the industry,” says Merrill. “To anyone considering entering the KDC Contest, get out there and do it! It’s free to enter, and the opportunity is unbelievable. It can really take your career to the next level.”
Visit Roth Living, reopening in Minnetonka with a brand-new showroom in 2025, to see the state-of-the-art appliances that inspired this winning kitchen design. Entries for the 2024–2025 Subzero, Wolf, and CoveKitchen Design Contest are being accepted at subzerowolf.com/contest.
