Daniel’s Gorgeous Kitchen Re-Design

Name: Daniel Lowe
Location: Hollywood- Los Angeles, CA
Kitchen size: 9 feet X 17 feet (but it’s a loft, so feels like half the loft is the kitchen or living / social space)

Last month at Apartment Therapy we got an awesome tour of Daniel Lowe’s incredible converted loft. Today take a peek at his custom designed kitchen. Lending its style to a more traditional approach, it truly warms up this ultra modern space and open floor plan.

The original kitchen was your standard modern boxy stainless steel kitchen, seen in most loft homes, but Daniel really brought a new style to this space. When you have an open floor plan anything is possible.

One of my favorite elements about this loft was that Daniel made great use of space. He really approached his loft as a home, bringing tons of elements together. The island for a kitchen and the stools on one end make for a great casual dining option. I love the classic all-white cabinetry and dishes too.

1. What inspires your kitchen and your cooking?

I think because I choose to have such a white kitchen, the food ends up being the centerpiece. Therefore, it becomes all about bold colors, spices, and recipes to really stand out against the white “blank canvas.”

2. What is your favorite kitchen tool or element?
My favorite tool would hands down be my retro green Waring Pro Blender. I got it when I lived in New York, and rarely used it. I now use it everyday to make smoothies, and am beginning to worry that I am going to destroy the blade.

3. What’s the most memorable meal you’ve ever cooked in this kitchen?
 The most memorable meal I cooked in this kitchen is actually the first meal I made in it. I made brown rice with chicken for my mom and myself. We had just been to Cafe Habana in Malibu where they use achiote in their rice so I wanted to try it (by the way if you have never been to Cafe Habana in Malibu or New York you have not experienced heaven on earth). I did not know that it has to be ground down to a powder or used as a paste. Needless to say we were spitting out little kernels of achiote for the whole meal…and it tasted awful. However the kitchen has been great for a lot of meals: Arroz con pollo, tinga de pollo, baked sweet potato fries, and homemade protein bars to name a few.

4. The biggest challenge for cooking in your kitchen:

The biggest challenge is the vacuum machine (my dog) that insists on being at my feet whenever I cook in hopes of something falling to the ground for him to eat.

5. Is there anything you wish you had done differently?
I wish I had lit the glass front cabinets from the inside and had glass shelves so that the plates would glow at night.

6. What was your biggest indulgence or splurge in the kitchen?

My Dornbracht faucet. I fell in love with it when i first saw it and had to have it. it was about $1000 more than the next most expensive faucet, but in my opinion it made the entire kitchen come to life, especially with the contrast of a “traditional” looking kitchen and a super contemporary faucet.

7. Is there anything you hope to add or improve in your kitchen?

One day it would be nice to have one of those glass door Sub-Zero refrigerators. My OCD would love that because I would always have to keep the inside neat and organized.

8. How would you describe your cooking style?

Currently…Health Nut. It’s tricky finding new ways to make healthy food taste good. Sweet potatoes with coconut oil, cinnamon, and cumin baked in the oven is my current addiction!

9. Best cooking advice or tip you ever received?
My trainer told me to put cinnamon on my chicken so my house would smell good. If you ever make shredded chicken, put a lot of cinnamon in it when it’s boiling; it tastes AMAZING.

10. What are you cooking this week?
I usually cook large batches two to three times a week to last the entire week. This week I am making pan-roasted chicken with sides of broccoli, turkey burgers with vegetables and a half an avocado, sweet potatoes with coconut oil, cinnamon, and cumin, and finally bell peppers stuffed with ground turkey meat topped with a small amount of arrabiata pasta sauce, so good and really healthy as well! Also a daily smoothie filled with amazingness (Isofelx Peanut Butter Chocolate Whey Protein, No Sugar Added Frozen Bar of Acai, 7 Strawberries, 1 Cup of OJ, 1 banana, 5 pieces of Ice…I said I had OCD!)

Resources of Note:

• Designed in conjuncition with Hollywood Sierra Kitchens
• Viking Appliances (Refrigerator, Stove, Microwave, Dishwasher)
• All-Clad Cookware
• Wusthof Knives
• Williams-Sonoma Cutting Board
• Caesarstone Countertops
• Waterworks Ceramic Tile Backsplash
• Dornbracht Faucet
• Waterworks
• Cuisinart Mixer
• Waring Pro Blender
• Mitrani Apron Sink
• Dishes and Glasses and such from Crate and Barrel
• Apothecary Jars from Crate and Barrel
• Stools from Restoration Hardware
• Vintage Pendant Lights from Cisco Home
• Chrome Latch Hardware (provided by Hollywood Sierra Kitchens)
• All Other Hardware from Restoration Hardware
• Dog Bowls from Paul Smith
• Beverage Center from Costco

Visit Daniel online daniellowe.com dlowe72.com collectivelosangeles.com

Thanks, Danny!