How These Designers Created a Sense of Coziness in an Open-Concept Kitchen

Ruby and Mike Rubin of Rubin Studio inherited a set of blueprints, boxed-up glossy dark cabinets, and a shell of a kitchen when they bought their L.A. home. Most people would have taken the drawings and run with them—especially if they were like the Rubins and purchased the house as an investment property. (Psst: It’s now for sale with O’Connor Estates). But the designers weren’t so quick to turn the previous owner’s plans into reality. “It was a pretty straightforward, U-shape, boring kitchen with an island in the middle,” recalls Ruby. They envisioned something different: A space divided into a pantry-slash-mudroom, a cooking area with an island and dining table, and a bar.

“We wanted to create more curiosity as you weaved through the home, rather than it being all open and exposed,” she explains. The room unravels slowly as you move around it, giving off that coveted cozy feel while still being prime for entertaining. See how they switched gears, ahead. 

The Private Pass-Through Pantry

Not everything that goes on in a kitchen needs to be seen by guests. Rubin Studio put up a wall at one end of the space to create a hallway with a narrow pantry. On that side, the partition is clad in cork padding and wall hooks; the designers imagined a family with kids trotting in and out of this space from the nearby garage, wanting to pin up their to-do lists and art projects.

They also stuck the double-wall oven back there, too, freeing up the main cooking space for more millwork. But the most practical addition is the grid of open shelves. “They can become a pass-through type of window when you’re cooking and want to send a dish to a person on the other side,” Ruby reveals. 

The Kitchen Where All the Dishes Look Good

To get the warmth they craved, Rubin Studio opted for white oak cabinets with Rubio Monocoat’s Pure finish—it looks and feels like honey, Ruby attests. “It’s become one of our favorites,” she says. 

After putting all their hard work into making the surfaces as luxurious as possible—dovetail detailing, honed Quartzite Nero countertops, and all—Ruby and Mike didn’t want to kill the vibe with an unsightly dish rack. Instead, they devised a built-in version that blends right in. The oak slats allow water to drip down onto the counter, flow through the grooves in the stone, and drain into the sink. “You could even use it as a storage solution and keep your cutting boards there indefinitely,” Ruby points out. It’s a feature so good that they’ve continued to put it in new projects, including their own Santa Barbara home. 

The Two-Sided Bar

To make sense of the floor drop-off between the kitchen and the dining room, the designers added—you guessed it—more millwork. The structure is double-sided, acting as decorative shelving facing the breakfast nook and a full bar with a custom mirror backsplash looking toward the dining table. “You turn the corner and you’re like: Wow, there’s a whole other moment that’s beautiful and functional!” says Ruby. The best surprise saved for last.