Luxury Kitchen Design in Bellevue, WA | Kitchen Designer Natalie Ivashkina

Modern Luxury Kitchen Design in Bellevue: GIS Plaza Penthouse

Kitchen design by Natalie Ivashkina, Eco German Kitchens
Location: GIS Plaza, Downtown Bellevue, WA  Completed: 2024

The Vision

When I began designing this modern luxury kitchen at GIS Plaza in the heart of Downtown Bellevue, I wanted to prove that color belongs in luxury kitchen design. Most high-end kitchens in the Bellevue and Seattle area default to white or greige. This project takes a braver path: a muted teal — somewhere between slate blue and sea green — paired with warm light oak, dramatic gold-veined stone, and brass detailing. The result is a kitchen that feels serene and bold at the same time, tailored to a penthouse lifestyle where the kitchen is the social heart of the home.

Every element of this project — the space planning, cabinet architecture, color palette, material and appliance selection — was designed by me from concept to completion. The custom kitchen cabinets were then built to order in Germany by Ballerina Küchen and installed by our team in Bellevue.

The Design

The kitchen is organized around a clean architectural logic: a full-height wall of handleless matte teal cabinetry conceals the refrigeration column and pantry storage, while the cooking zone is framed by a sculptural white plaster hood above a professional Wolf range. The backsplash and countertops in Calacatta-style stone with warm gold veining tie the teal and oak tones together and give the space its jewelry.

Key design decisions:

• Two-tone custom cabinetry. Matte lacquer fronts in muted teal are balanced by textured light-oak kitchen cabinets — a pairing that keeps the saturated color from overwhelming the open-plan space.
• Handleless architecture with brass reveals. Slim brass edge profiles replace traditional hardware on the tall units, creating uninterrupted vertical lines with a fine metallic accent — a hallmark of modern kitchen design.
• A concealed working kitchen. An appliance garage with a tambour door keeps small appliances and the coffee station hidden but instantly accessible, preserving the calm of the stone surfaces.
• Integrated wine and entertaining zone. Open oak shelving with built-in stemware and bottle storage transitions the kitchen into the dining area, designed for a household that entertains.
• A dining space that belongs to the kitchen. The oak dining table for eight, chevron-pattern oak flooring, and sculptural glass pendants were selected to extend the kitchen’s palette into the living space.

Materials & Appliances

• Cabinetry: custom kitchen cabinets by Ballerina Küchen, Germany — matte lacquer in muted teal + textured oak décor
• Countertops & backsplash:  Calacatta with gold veining
• Range: Wolf professional dual-fuel range
• Refrigeration: Miele integrated column with water dispenser
• Hood: custom plaster-finish canopy
• Flooring: European oak, chevron pattern
• Hardware: brass edge-pull profiles, matte black faucet

About the Designer

This project was designed by Natalie Ivashkina, a Bellevue-based luxury kitchen and interior designer, founder and principal designer of Eco German Kitchens — a women-owned kitchen design studio in Bellevue, WA, and the exclusive Pacific Coast dealer of Ballerina Küchen. Natalie is an NKBA Universal Design Specialist and a Best of Houzz award winner (2023–2025). Her work at GIS Plaza has been featured by the Bellevue Downtown Association.

Photography: Eco German Kitchens. 

Start Your Project

If you are planning a luxury kitchen in Bellevue, Seattle, or anywhere on the Pacific Coast, visit our kitchen design showroom in Bellevue or contact us to begin your design consultation with Natalie.

FAQ

Who designed the GIS Plaza penthouse kitchen in Bellevue?
The kitchen was designed by Natalie Ivashkina, luxury kitchen designer and founder of Eco German Kitchens in Bellevue, WA. She developed the complete design — layout, cabinetry architecture, colors, materials, and appliance specification — and the custom kitchen cabinets were manufactured by Ballerina Küchen in Germany.

Who is a top-rated kitchen designer in Bellevue, WA?
Natalie Ivashkina, founder of Eco German Kitchens, is a Bellevue-based luxury kitchen designer with over ten years of experience, NKBA Universal Design Specialist certification, and Best of Houzz awards in 2023, 2024, and 2025. Her kitchen design showroom is located at GIS Plaza in Downtown Bellevue.

What color is the cabinetry in this project?
A muted teal matte lacquer, paired with textured light oak — a two-tone palette that has become one of Eco German Kitchens’ signature looks in modern kitchen design.

Where can I buy custom kitchen cabinets in Bellevue?
Eco German Kitchens offers custom kitchen cabinets in Bellevue, designed individually by Natalie Ivashkina and built to order in Germany by Ballerina Küchen. Visit the showroom at GIS Plaza to see materials, finishes, and full-size displays in person.