When we were designing our kitchen, there was a big bank of windows that sat below counter depth. I knew the best way of combating these windows to work well with the flow of the kitchen was to make a floating bar top to span across the windows. We have a beautiful view of the woods out the window and I thought the scene would be best enjoyed if we could sit at the bar for a quick breakfast or coffee break.
We found this large wood slab of Sweet Gum at
Keim Lumber and knew the raw bark edge would make for an interesting design element. It was the right length and depth for the bar... the catch though? I envisioned this wood slab spanning the entire length of the windows but I didn't want to see any legs or bar supports. I just wanted to see the beauty of the wood slab floating across the windows.
Before drywall was installed, my father-in-law made us a couple steel brackets to be tied into our framing. The wood slab is pretty hefty, so we needed some kind of heavy duty custom bracket to hold the ends within the wall. Whatever was exposed after the drywall was installed- would be flush mounted into the wood underside.
After the brackets were made, Taylor notched out some of the framing so that everything could be flush and ready for drywall. After drywall was installed, we had some sturdy supports for the bar wood.
Taylor then notched the underside of the wood top so that the supports would be flushed underneath. Everything looked seamless and beautiful! I sealed the bar top with some
matte poly and we now have a stunning bar top that we can enjoy. I can't tell you how many times we've enjoyed this window seat in the years this bar has been completed.
We love the raw bark edge as it adds a beautiful rustic touch. We've had minor bits of bark fall/chip off through the years but nothing major. The only thing that could be a slight flaw to this design is sagging in the middle of the bar over numerous years of wear. We can then find a new slab or something- we're not too concerned! The pros sure outweigh everything!
I love this big bank of windows as it allows so much light to enter into the kitchen. There's a huge mature maple tree right out the window and for a few weeks in the fall, the tree is flaming orange and glows through the windows! Every season looks beautiful from the windows.
Stay tuned as I began painting our kitchen cabinets a soft greige color and I think the kitchen will be lovely with this addition!
Much love, Alyssa
SOURCES:
Black Bar chairs: Wayfair | Wall Color: SW, "Origami White" | Trim Color: SW, "Into the Gloaming"
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