In keeping with the rest of the house, the design of the kitchen is Tuscan. Their previous home had also been Tuscan in style, and they wanted to retain that pleasant rustic Italian look that exudes charm and warmth and is such a good fit for California’s wine country. The rectangular kitchen is designed around a U-shaped island that offers counter-height food-preparation and work areas parallel to the cooking niche and perpendicular to the sink, plus a taller bar-height counter for dining. Above the island is the showpiece of the kitchen, a fabulous hanging pot rack designed by Bartlett. It is painted by Carlo Marchiori, a Napa Valley artist, with a delightful faux frieze of plants, animals, and cartouches reading La Cucina di Kathina and La Tavola di Ken—Kathy’s Kitchen and Ken’s Table.

Not only the design, but the choice of materials and finishes captures the spirit of northern Italy, particularly in the cabinetry. Bartlett purposefully chose lesser quality walnut for the cupboards. “All of the walnut we used is number two grade, complete with splits and knots to give it a more rustic feel,” explains the designer. “Then, all of those cabinets were distressed, stained, and glazed.” In contrast to the stained walnut cabinets, some of the upper cabinets and built-in pieces are painted and then glazed to give them an aged, soft patina. Bartlett used tumbled marble—laid out in a diamond pattern in the cooking niche and in a checkerboard pattern on the counters and along the wall behind the sink. Honed marble counters top the island and the perimeter cabinets.