Juli and John Baker and their two young daughters live in a Toronto flat one flight of stairs up from Mjölk, their homewares shop. Not surprisingly, inventory from the shop makes it up into their own quarters, especially the kitchen, which is modeled after Norwegian summer house designs. Working with architecture firm Studio Junction to customize every inch of the space, Juli and John stocked it with their favorite tools—the kind of Japanese kitchen essentials one can only dream of. Here, we've sourced the key elements and accessories to start our own wish lists.
Above: Juli and John are masters at combining the best of their favorite design traditions. See more in A Scandinavian-Inspired Kitchen with Hints of Japan. Photograph by Juli Daoust.
Above: A custom oak cabinet with soapstone counters and open and closed storage anchors the back wall. Photograph by Juli Daoust.
Above: Classic Danish dining furniture blends effortlessly with the warm oak kitchen. Photograph by Juli Daoust.
Lighting and Furniture
Above: Designed by Jonas Bohlin for Örsjö, the Star 6 Track Light is made of raw copper and is available to order directly through Örsjö; inquire for pricing information.
Above: Juli and John's kitchen island was designed by Studio Junction. An ideal, ready-to-purchase option is the March Work Table of white oak and steel, shown here; $13,800. Or consider Ikea's affordable Värde Base Cabinet in birch veneer, outfitted with new cabinet pulls (and perhaps install a sink in the Värde like these Ikea Hackers did).
Above: Jonas Bohlin's pendant Lamp Kvist 6 is also made of raw copper; €1,795 ($2,272) at Skulptur Fabriken.
Above: Designed by Børge Mogensen for Fredericia Furniture in 1942, the C18 Dining Table is made of solid beech or white oak; $3,200 at Mjölk. The J39 Chair is also sold at Mjölk for $650 each (but only a single chair is left in stock). A set of Four Mogensen Antique Dining Chairs with a similar shape is available through Wyeth on 1st Dibs.
Above: Gain additional workspace with Ikea's birch Bekväm Kitchen Cart for $59.99.
Appliances
Above: Similar to Juli and John's cooktop, the KitchenAid 36-Inch Stainless Steel Gas Cooktop is $1,849 at ABT. For more options, see 10 Easy Pieces: 36-Inch Gas Cooktops.
Above: The Baratza Encore Coffee Grinder features steel burrs and 40 different adjustable steps. It has a high-torque motor that turns slower than most grinders; $129 at Crate & Barrel. For more options, see 10 Easy Pieces: Coffee Grinders.
Above: The Breville 4-Slice Stainless Steel Toaster is $179.95 at Crate & Barrel.
Accessories
Above: Ikea's Grundtal Rail is a stainless steel alternative to Juli and John's custom wooden under-shelf rail; $9.99 for the 31 1/2-inch length. For more examples of kitchens with the Grundtal rail, go to Ultimate Budget Storage: 10 Kitchens with Ikea's Grundtal Rail System.
Above: The Grundtal S-Hook Set is $2.99 for a five pack of 2 3/4-inch hooks, and $3.99 for a five pack of 4 3/8-inch hooks at Ikea.
Above: Carved by artist Tomiyama Koichi from a block of chestnut wood, the Coffee Trough stands ready to transfer freshly ground coffee to your coffee dripper; $150 CAD ($133 USD) at Mjölk.
Above: Designed by Hidetoshi Takahasi, the Bagel Trivet is made of Japanese maple (also available in walnut and cherry) with a leather string for hanging; $80 CAD ($71 USD) at Mjölk.
Above: The Sori Yanagi Stainless Steel Tea Kettle in matte is $66.54 via Amazon. For an alternate option, see High/Low: Japanese Tea Kettle.
Above: The Futagami Brass Knife Stand has a removable wooden lid with five slots for knives; $150.28 from Analogue Life in Japan.
Above: Octagonal maple Kakudo Cutting Boards are $140 CAD ($124 USD) for the small and $190 CAD ($170 USD) for the large at Mjölk. In Juli and John's kitchen, the boards are standing in a Futagami Brass Cutting Board Holder; $265 at Nala Tanalata.
Above: Studio Prepa's Medium Cut Vase, $140 CAD ($124 USD) at Mjölk, is formed using wooden molds that leave the impression of bark. The look is inspired by Scandinavian Ice Glass, a design style from the 1930s.
For another look into the world of Mjölk, see our post on Juli and John's Scandi Cabin Remodel on Lake Huron and their Toronto city guide, A Perfect Day in Toronto. On Gardenista, see a landscape project by Studio Junction in Urban Alchemy in Toronto (Children Included).
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