Glossy gift Another creation of Graf’s team is an impressive cooktop mantle that makes a grand statement in the kitchen. Tucked inside is a tile backsplash that the contractor gave as a surprise gift to his clients. Graf explains that he wanted to create a backsplash to be the perfect complement to the cabinets. “I knew that Rookwood was the right option. It’s customizable. I saw the possibility. They can make what the customer wants. My customers want what they want. A lot of times, that’s not available on the shelves.” Kay says that she and Jim had no idea that it was Graf’s intention to buy them the backsplash. When they met with Sarah Gardner, a designer at Rookwood, Kay remembers she kept pushing to get the color and texture just right. Bringing the team’s vision to life was Rookwood’s talented glaze chemist Jim Robinson. “We wanted more white. More crackle,” Kay says. “Mike and I created that color together. It’s the first white crackle that Rookwood has done. They named the glossy color ‘Snowflake.’”
Cincinnati’s own Rookwood Pottery traces its roots back more than 100 years. Visit www.rookwood.com to learn more about the company’s history and recent resurgence. Rookwood also offers free studio tours every Wednesday at 10:30 a.m. Tours last approximately 30 minutes. Call 513381-2500 to reserve a spot.
continued > OPPOSITE: According to Kay, this sitting area that was created off of the kitchen, really makes the whole space function well. ABOVE: The contractor’s gift to the homeowners, a Rookwood backsplash, can be seen beneath the cooktop’s mantle.
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