Exposed trusses give you triangles upon triangles - kitchen design

Sunset, March, 1984

Exposed trusses give you triangles, upon triangles

Rough-sawn wood trusses add overhead interest to this combination kitchen and dining room. Made of 2 by 4's, 4 by 6's, and metal tension rods, the 16-foot-long trusses create a dramatic sense of volume that contrasts with the house's more conventional 8-foot-high ceilings.

The 14-foot-high room is the center of activity for owners Marlene and Ken Baca of Encinitas, California. At one end is an open kitchen, with a 50-by 56-inch island serving as boundary between work space and eating area. As a focal point above the island, a vent hood and its chimney are painted royal blue; accent tiles elsewhere echo the color.

Centered between the trusses in the north slope of the roof are five small skylights. Daylighting is balanced by view windows around the room. Three hanging fixtures and task lights mounted beneath cabinets provide additional kitchen illumination. For night lighting, the Bacas turn on ceiling-mounted fluorescent fixtures masked by sheet-metal skirts.

The house was designed by San Diego architect Lee Platt.

Photo: Rustic strength of exposed trusses gives character to kitchen-dining space

Photo: Masking fluorescent light mounted between trusses is 51-inch-long sheet-metal skirt