The Kitchen Countertop to an Entertainment Peninsula Bar Remodel

William Heistand
by William Heistand
Previously, the kitchen counter bar, separating the kitchen and dining areas, was utilitarian and covered with an off-white-grouted tile. By day, it is a planning and laptop surface. By evening, it is for entertaining and serving fine wines. One evening, an influential guest commented on the distracting clicking that his glass made as he swirled the wine on the tile counter. More distracting was that this peninsula bar was visually more a part of the kitchen than its shared dining area.
The transformation combines a new marble top with a remodeled wood base. I chose a slab of "Rainforest" marble that is harvested in India for its multi-hued and branch-like veining. The wood of the bar's pedestal is embellished with carved branch and tree forms, and provides spaces and shelves to tuck away the day use note pads and laptop for the evening. I stylized the carvings in a manner that they may represent either our local forest or the grapevines of our neighboring vineyards. Symbolically, the branch or grapevine forms support the "rainforest" canopy of stone.
The new bar has been amply christened. And, yes, the wine glass swirling guest has given a pleased approval. Cheers!
Carving and Shelves of the Bar Pedestal
Rainforest Marble and Carved Cherry Peninsula
Carved Peninsula Shelf Facade
Detail of the Carved Cherry
Detail of the Carved Branch Motif
The Bar Peninsula Concept Drawing
The "Rainforest" Marble Slab Selected
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 2 comments
  • Freddi Freddi on Jan 14, 2016
    Absolutely stunning! You are an artist to be envied. Thx for sharing.
  • Gail Pucciarelli Gail Pucciarelli on Jan 16, 2016
    The marble is beautiful and your tree carving is so unique and gorgeous. I love how the veins in the marble continue the flow of the tree branches. I appreciate the work and time that went into this. Love it!
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