Hold Everything, this Townhome’s Kitchen is the Greatest of All Time

Ulla Johnson designs beautiful clothes, so it’s no surprise that her house is beautiful too. There’s her living room above: full of delicious textures and modern shapes, and with probably the most visually stunning crown molding I’ve ever seen. (Go ahead, enlarge the photo and take a closer look. It’s to die for.) But as lovely as this all is, well, it pales in comparison to the kitchen, recently seen on Architectural Digest. 

I am a connoisseur of kitchens, and since you are reading this publication, there’s a good chance that you are too. I have seen a lot of kitchens, and this kitchen is doing something to me. Those marbles! The brass fixtures! The subtle modern cabinets! The wide-plank chevron patterned floor! It all comes together so beautifully, and it’s all so… lush. It’s hard to do a lush kitchen, but that’s what this is. (The wood floors are soap coated, which is what gives them that natural, unfinished look.)

Those dreamy, luxurious textures extend to the rest of the house as well: in the master bath, a shower with subtly textured tile adjoins a deep, marble-lined soaking tub. Plants help to soften the space’s modern lines: this is a soothing space, a space to linger. 

Another notable, enviable feature of the house is the backyard. In other places, a backyard might be pretty standard, but in New York, a private outdoor space is something to treasure. The plan of the space is fairly simple: from a patio, a brick path, surrounded by dense greenery, leads to a seating area at the yard’s far side. Maybe it’s the inherent magic of plants, but something about the space seems otherworldly, dreamlike – located in Brooklyn but with the feel of another place entirely.

Of course we can’t all live in a gorgeous townhouse in Brooklyn. Those things are expensive. But if this look draws you, I think there’s a lot of inspiration here for any size space: be liberal with textures, bold with shapes, and judicious with space. Don’t stuff your place too full, prioritize things you love, even if they’re unusual, and when in doubt, add some plants. That’s a great formula for any home, big or small. 

Want to see more? There’s a lot of good stuff here. See all of it in the full tour at Architectural Digest.