State of the Art

Metal sculptor David Tonnesen's new kitchen is the ultimate installation piece.

By Eric Roth, 10/12/2003

For metal sculptor David Tonnesen, the day begins with an interactive interlude before his latest work of art -- his new kitchen. Tonnesen, whose sculptures include huge abstract steel fish created for Legal Sea Foods, is standing at the Fisher & Paykel dishwasher. With a mischievous sparkle in his eyes, he says to a visitor, "Listen to this," then taps out a few jazzy melodies on the state-of-the-art control panel. While the machine intones a different beep for each setting -- from delicate to fast wash to eco mode -- it is doubtful the New Zealand manufacturer considered that these bells and whistles might double as entertainment.

What is captivating about the kitchen that Tonnesen and his wife, PJ Su, remodeled in their street-level space in Somerville's Brickbottom Studios building is not high-tech gadgetry but the resourcefulness and creativity the couple brought to the project. It is their artistic vision that makes this kitchen sophisticated, practical, and delightfully playful.

"PJ and I were fed up fighting with our 10-year-old makeshift kitchen," says Tonnesen. "It was so inefficient, cooking was a contact sport."

So with their attentive Boston terrier, Pogo, constantly at their side, the couple worked wonders in what had been a haphazard arrangement of appliances and cabinets tucked into a dark, tight corner of the loft. After poring over kitchen books and home magazines, the couple decided to transform the dreary space into a gleaming contemporary sculpture in its own right.

Tonnesen's penchant for shiny buffed steel inspired his design of the large center island and the graphic ceiling-hung exhaust hood above it. These striking elements shimmer under halogen track lights, outlining, defining, and electrifying the space.

"We wanted to make the island big enough so we could face each other instead of the walls when we cook together," says Su. "Now we talk, cook, and pass things across."

Tonnesen built the island's steel frame in his Quantum Design workshop, which is just across the courtyard from his loft. Blackened apple plywood drawers and cabinets by Eric Gustafson of Gustafson Construction in Wakefield nestle within the island's frame in a geometric pattern. Granite imported from Norway was honed to a gray-green finish to create the countertop that crowns the creation.

Behind the island, a wall of glossy gray lacquer cabinets from IKEA provides a perfect backdrop for the sculptor's theatrics. Tonnesen and Su configured the cabinets into a grid that provides storage space they could only dream about before the renovation.

But all gray storage a dull kitchen makes. So the couple nixed a plan to install an appliance garage for the mixer, blender, and other small electrical gadgets and instead used the space to create a display cubicle that became the focal point of the wall. Now they have a place to exhibit a piece of sculpture, a vase of flowers, or just show off some pretty dinnerware. The cubicle is lined with peach-colored paper overlaid with corrugated plastic, which makes the space both colorful and waterproof.

The entire kitchen sits on a pedestal of prefinished wood flooring by Listone Giordano of Italy. By elevating the floor 7 1/2 inches, Tonnesen and Su created a sense of drama and found an easy way to hide plumbing and utility lines.

Not only were Tonnesen and Su stylistically creative, they found interesting ways to stretch dollars. Plumbing fixtures and appliances such as the Miele ceramic cooktop and convection oven were found at great discounts through sources on the Internet, especially at auction on eBay. Tonnesen, in addition to his design contributions, helped contractor Jack Coyle with every phase of construction, working eight hours a day for two months.

"My favorite thing about the new kitchen: It's fun to clean," says Tonnesen. "When this kitchen is clean, it really looks and feels clean. In fact, it gets so clean, I'd eat off the floor. I guess that's the sign of a good kitchen."

He also seems to enjoy using the new dishwasher, especially when he's feeling musical.

For more information about David Tonnesen's metal sculpture and design work, visit www.DavidTonnesen.com.

Eric Roth is a freelance photographer and writer. He lives in Topsfield.