Designer Ali McQuaid Mitchell of Futurestudio was asked to cook up a kitchen that was both dramatic and functional. “My clients — Geoff, the director of operations at a cannabis company, and his wife, Michaela, who’s at home with the kids — really wanted the latest technology without sacrificing beauty and design,” says Ali. We looked at lots of inspiration images of European apartments and Brooklyn brownstones, where contemporary elements live alongside the historical.”

Scroll down to tour this chic black and white kitchen!

“We didn’t revolutionize the layout but improved storage and seating space,” says designer Ali McQuaid Mitchell of her client’s 197-square-foot kitchen. “We took cues from some of the simple, clean-lined furniture my clients had purchased since moving into their Victorian home.”

“We wanted the island to relate to the geometry of the long side of the kitchen but also stand out as a piece on its own,” says Ali, who chose a black wood-grain finish and vertical panelling for the dramatic island. The whole back of the kitchen opens up to the deck.

The counter-integrated vent hood neatly tucks away into the island when not in use.

“The island faucet does boiling, filtered and carbonated water on demand,” notes Ali.

“The custom edging on the cabinetry is a bit of a trick to give consistency to the cabinet fronts, but the edging details are actually pulls that open many different ways: some are drawers, some are swing door fronts and others open awning-style,” explains the designer.

A sink with an integrated cutting board maximizes counter space.

Rounded outlets disappear into the marble backsplash.