by Heather Shoning
Taking its cues from Georgia O’Keeffe’s home in Abiquiú, this kitchen reinterprets a distinctly New Mexican aesthetic through a contemporary lens. Working closely with a homeowner connected to the O’Keeffe Museum, builder John Clemens of Clemens Custom Homes studied the artist’s preference for white cabinetry and appliances and pared-back interiors. While the palette remains intentionally restrained, the surrounding architectural details provide depth and context. “There are wooden interior doors and ceilings, which give the historic Santa Fe look to tie it all together,” he says. Thick insulated concrete-form walls finished to resemble adobe, exposed wood ceilings and handcrafted millwork connect the space to local historic building traditions. Clemens designed custom cabinetry tailored to the homeowner’s specific storage and workflow needs, while the concrete epoxy flooring was carefully color-matched to the earthen floors found in O’Keeffe’s residence. Within a compact footprint, the kitchen balances historical reference and modern practicality without sacrificing either.
