The couple’s new Texas home was under construction when Dodson stepped in. What everyone agreed on was the need for a kitchen where the family (including daughters ages 9, 16, and 19) could gather daily and entertain family and friends. Dodson planted a super-size island topped with a thick slab of Calacatta marble in the center of the room. Ends of the island are also clad in the heavily veined marble, giving it the heft to balance the spacious room. To add a rustic vintage feel, the window wall is clad with bricks in muted shades of red, a contrast to the smooth white marble. “I wanted a soft look,” explains Dodson. “The brick warms the room so much.” A Wolf 48-inch, six-burner range tucks into a niche lined with heavily veined Calacatta marble. The sleek custom-made hood is from the Lonestar Range Hood A brick surround houses the Wood Stone Bistro Oven, which is one of the family’s favorite appliances. The gas-and wood-fired pizza oven has a three-inch-thick ceramic hearth and dome engineered for high heat, and the family uses it to bake pizzas, vegetables, steak, bread, and even nachos. The “Dakota” hammered-and polished-nickel table base from Julian Chichester is topped with white marble. The “Delphi” chairs from Mr. Brown are covered in easy-clean fabric.
