San Francisco designers Charles de Lisle and Ralph Dennis built their off-the-grid Sonoma retreat by way of salvaged goods and stalwart industrial elements. Case in point: the makeshift plywood kitchen de Lisle designed with a steel workbench as countertop, a cast-concrete laundry sink, and an industrial faucet. The result has a wood-shop feel but is entirely modular—and, for an off-the-grid weekend spot, it’s just enough. Here, we dissect the kitchen’s key elements.
Above: Small but mighty, the kitchen is made of robust steel, concrete, and ply. Photograph by Eric Petschek from Off the Grid: A Stylish, Low-Impact Retreat in Sonoma by Charles de Lisle. See more of the kitchen in our post Kitchen of the Week: A Designer’s Deconstructed Sonoma Kitchen from Reclaimed Parts.
Above: A repurposed refrigerator is encased in plywood, pulls included, and built into a handmade storage unit, also in plywood. Photograph by Eric Petschek from Off the Grid: A Stylish, Low-Impact Retreat in Sonoma by Charles de Lisle.
Furniture
Above: The makeshift countertop is a Grainger workbench fitted with a custom butcher-block top. For something similar, source the Grainger Little Giant Workbench in Gray for $2,504.38 at Grainger.
Above: The chairs are vintage Josef Hoffmann caned chairs in walnut. The Thonet No. 811 Hoffmann Armchair in French Walnut Finish is available through Thonet in Australia. Alternatively, the Hoffmann Armchair in Natural is $895 at Design Within Reach.
Faucets & Fixtures
Above: The industrial wall-mounted faucet seen in the kitchen is a discontinued Kohler model. For something similar, the Chicago Faucets Wall-Mounted Service Sink Faucet with Cross Handles is $283.98 at Build.
Above: The sink is a repurposed cast concrete laundry sink saved from the original cabin. Shown here is the Houston Platinum Concretti Designs Gray Bathroom Sink, which could be rigged for a similar look; $342.03 at Wayfair.
Above: For a similar electric cooktop to what’s seen in the kitchen, the Duxtop LCD Portable Double Induction Cooktop is $239.08 at Amazon.
Above: The Breville Mini Smart Oven is $159.95 at Williams-Sonoma.
Lighting
Above: Similar lights to the old metal pendant fixtures are the Barn Light Original Warehouse Pendant Lights, shown in Industrial Grey 800; $262 for the 16-inch shade.
Above: For a brass table lamp with a woven shade, the Serena & Lily Larkspur Petite Table Lamp with a raffia weave shade is $298.
Accessories
Above: The Sugatsune HJT Hook in satin stainless steel is $8.41 from American Builder’s Outlet.
Above: The Mercer Culinary Acacia Magnetic Knife Holder is available in acacia (shown), bamboo, or rubberwood; $20.22 at Webstaurant Store.
Above: Linen Tea Towels in Navy Gingham are $12 each at In Bed.
Above: Chairs are softened with West African-made chair cushions from Tensira in brown stripe or black windowpane prints. The Tensira Chair Cushion K.133 is €64 directly from Tensira.
For more deconstructed kitchens, see our posts:
- Kitchen of the Week: 6 Low-Impact Deconstructed Kitchens
- The Unfitted Kitchen: 14 Deconstructed Spaces
- Steal This Look: A Makeshift Victorian Kitchen in London
- A Moveable Feast: A Modular Kitchen from an Italian Architect
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