By Castro Design Studio

Category Archives: Thank You!

AH&L 2018 Kitchen Of The Year

This year could not have had started out better.   A very special project of ours was selected by Atlanta Homes and Lifestyles to be their 2018 Kitchen of the year!

 

Atlanta Homes and Lifestyles, January 2018

 

The incredibly talented Joel Kelly was the Interior Designer on this project.  I have always been a huge fan of Joel’s  Interior Design and Architecture work.  When he suggested I join him and the clients on a shopping trip to Los Angeles, I could not pass on the opportunity.

 

After a day of seeing some of the most beautiful spaces and products we decided to go to the Tower Bar for dinner and drinks.  The Sunset Tower is a beautiful Art Deco building, and the bar area is just perfect.  It is paneled in dark wood, but it feels modern and cozy.  Sitting there, the words were uttered “I wish we could just live here”.

 

Upon returning to Atlanta the more traditional kitchen design was scrapped.  In a true design meeting, Joel brought out the yellow “trash paper” and the idea for this space was born.  This was to be a space that drew inspiration fro the Sunset Bar, but would also be a rugged working kitchen.  It was to be equally functional for making a quick meal for two, or for preparing and serving a meal for forty.

 

The result is a walnut paneled room with two islands.  One island serves as prep space and a place to sit in the kitchen, the other is used for serving at parties.  This second “serving” island also creates a sense of definition between the kitchen and family room in the open concept space.

 

View from the Family Room into the Kitchen

 

You can really appreciate Joel’s genius in this detail showing how metal, soapstone, and walnut all come together.

 

View from the Breakfast Room into the Kitchen

The furniture in this kitchen was crafted by Block and Chisel and Skylar Morgan Furniture and Design.  The hauntingly beautiful photographs were shot by Emily Followill.

 

My grandfather used to say that the reward for great work is more great work.  I am a firm believer in this.  I am incredibly humbled by this honor, and recognize that it would be impossible to be here without the work of so many more people.  Most of all, I am so grateful for the opportunity these wonderful friends and clients gave me to be a part of this team and project, as I am for the opportunity to work with all our amazing clients.  It is because of you that we can wake up every day and practice a craft we love.

 

 

Thanks for visiting!

The Kitchen Table

It was a little over nine years ago that my wife and I sat down at our kitchen table to talk about starting this little company of ours. She never hesitated and told me that we would find a way to make it work.

After marrying her, starting CDS is the best decision I have ever made. These nine years have brought me immeasurable joy and satisfaction. I go to work every day to my dream job.

Today that kitchen table is used as our conference table. It is a daily reminder of how incredibly fortunate I am, in so very many ways.

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15 under 40

This year I was honored to be included in Atlanta Homes and Lifestyles’ “15 under 40 – The next wave of tastemakers who are shaping the future of Atlanta’s arts and design culture”.

 

AHL cover under 40

 

I am so very thankful to be included among these incredibly talented people!  The amazing Angela Morris took my photograph for the article.  I was a bag of nerves at the photo shoot! (Note the very empty champagne glass…for the nerves of course)

 

40 ahl, me

Sejal Bhima, of Atlanta Homes and Lifestyles wrote “In an age of efficiency-based, cookie-cutter design, high-end residential designer Rodolfo Castro prefers to take a slower, more soulful approach. It all starts with custom, hand-drawn plans, each individually crafted by the Georgia Tech grad himself. Growing up in a creative household (his father was a civil engineer, his mother an interior designer), Castro’s appreciation for great, thoughtful design is palpable. Refusing to be defined by a particular style—modern and classical elements often mix comfortably in his vernacular—he does abide by one steadfast rule: “I don’t want to be the shiny new kid on the block. I strive for subtlety. You might not notice the house the first 10 times you drive past, but once you do take notice, you start to fall in love as small details begin to reveal themselves.”  You can see the entire article here.

 

party photo

The best part was spending time with current and past class members at Mathew’s Furniture Galleries at a party held in our honor!

Thanks for indulging me as I share these great news with you!

All my best,