At the heart of the Pazzam Project is Pamela Barthold, a nationally recognized kitchen designer whose namesake firm, Pazzam Designs, approaches interiors as lived art rather than utilitarian space. Rooted in decades of high-end residential design, the project serves as both a personal design credo and a testing ground for Barthold’s philosophy that true luxury is experiential. Inspired by the chiaroscuro painting style—where light and shadow create depth and drama—Barthold reimagines the kitchen as a sculptural, architectural extension of the home. Through disciplined restraint, integrated technology and refined materiality, her vision for the Pazzam Project is to dissolve boundaries between function and art, elevating everyday living into an intentional, emotionally resonant experience.
In dialogue with the best makers and materials, an award-winning designer explores how light, shadow and intention transform the kitchen into a functional work of art.
Project Partners
APPLIANCES: JennAir
CABINETRY: Chic Design Group
DECORATIVE PLUMBING: Zip Water
INTERIOR DESIGN: Pazzam Designs
STONE + COUNTERTOPS: Cornerstone Granite Design
Pazzam Designs
Design, in Pamela Barthold’s hands, becomes an experiential art form; one that underpins the refined, architecturally driven work of her award-winning studio, Pazzam Designs. With more than two decades shaping custom residences, major renovations and ground-up new builds, Barthold approaches interiors as cohesive compositions defined by proportion, materiality and restraint that seamlessly integrate technology.
“I don’t design rooms as isolated moments,” Barthold says. “Every space reads as part of a larger composition—intentional, emotional and livable.”
The Pazzam Project—which also happens to be her own home—became the purest expression of that philosophy. Conceived as a chiaroscuro-inspired kitchen that blurs the line between culinary and living space, the design prioritizes flow, concealment and architectural drama, transforming function into performance. Close collaboration with artisans, appliance partners and skilled trades brought the vision to life, with existing showroom cabinetry and technical constraints reframed as creative catalysts.
“What could have been a limitation turned into an opportunity to refine proportion and elevate the composition,” Barthold notes. “When everyone is aligned around design integrity, teamwork transforms vision into art.”
Contact: 310.940.7437 | pazzamdesign.com | @pazzamdesigns
By reimagining materiality and application, the fireplace emerges as immersive art objects; expressing texture, tone and craftsmanship through a pearlescent Venetian plaster, refined to a pure and understated form.
Chic Design Group
Rooted in a lifelong passion for European design and craftsmanship, Moon Shirvanian leads Chic Design Group with a philosophy that balances timeless aesthetics with technical rigor. As Owner and CEO, Shirvanian has grown the Southern California–based firm into a full-service design destination representing leading Italian brands for kitchens, baths, closets, interior doors and integrated living systems.
The firm is distinguished by a highly collaborative approach that brings architects, designers and homeowners together to create bespoke spaces defined by precision, longevity and a sense of understated luxury.
That ethos made Chic Design Group a natural partner for the Pazzam Project, a Huntington Beach residence designed by Pamela Barthold of Pazzam Designs. Brought into the project to guide the kitchen and living space cabinetry, Shirvanian and her team helped translate Barthold’s vision into a refined architectural composition that feels seamless and deeply personal.
“Our role is always about bridging design intent with execution—ensuring that what’s imagined is beautifully and precisely realized,” Shirvanian says.
The result is a kitchen that feels fully integrated into the living space and reflects the power of trust and thoughtful synergy.
Contact: 310.606.1331 | chicdesigngroupco.com | @chicdesigngroupco
The furniture-like composition, restrained cabinetry elevations, rich exotic woods and creamy lacquered flat-paneled cabinetry created a harmonious flow.
Zip Water
In the Pazzam Project, Zip Water’s Zip five-function faucet plays a pivotal role in redefining how performance and artistry coexist in the kitchen. Delivering instant boiling, chilled, sparkling and filtered water alongside standard hot and cold, the system streamlines daily rituals while eliminating visual clutter.
Rather than reading as a typical fixture, the sculptural matte black faucet is an intentional focal point within the space.
“I chose the Zip faucet because it’s striking as a stand-alone art piece when the workstation is covered,” Pamela Barthold states.
This approach underscores Zip Water’s ability to merge advanced hydration technology with refined design, distilling innovation into a single gesture that elevates water from utility to experience within a kitchen that functions seamlessly for daily living while maintaining a museum-like presence.
Contact: us.zipwater.com | @zipwaterna
Housed within a sculptural form so refined it merits display, the Zip HydroTap Arc Plus faucet delivers instant boiling, chilled and sparkling water.
JennAir
Defined by the sleek NOIR™ Design Expression, JennAir® delivers a design-forward appliance suite that seamlessly integrates into cabinetry while elevating daily living.
For the Pazzam Project, JennAir partnered with Pamela Barthold and Snyder Diamond—an independently owned local business that has been serving SoCal’s design trade and homeowners since 1949. For more than 75 years, Snyder Diamond has been a trusted source for innovative, design-driven products, pairing deep expertise with a discerning eye for beauty and function.
Barthold explains, “Precision cooking technologies like the JennAir steam oven and the 30-inch V2 dual-fan convection oven allow professional-level performance while maintaining clean, architectural elevations. The streamlined black glass fronts aligned seamlessly with the cabinetry, letting advanced technology complement the design.”
The result is a kitchen where innovation, artistry and collaboration converge.
Contact: jennair.com | @jennair
Barthold’s collaboration with Snyder Diamond and JennAir delivered cutting-edge appliances that serve as sculptural focal points, integrating intelligent systems that enhance efficiency without compromising visual harmony.
Cornerstone Granite Design
Grounded in craftsmanship and shaped by hands-on experience, Cornerstone Granite Design brings a meticulous, detailed approach to stone fabrication and installation. Led by Carlos Hernández, the studio is known for precision work in marble, porcelain and natural stone, while offering end-to-end services from material selection to installation.
Shaped by learning the trade from the ground up, Hernández’s ethos is rooted in humility, discipline and respect for the craft.
“When you treat each piece like a work of art, the final result speaks for itself,” he says.
With the Pazzam Project, Cornerstone took on an ambitious kitchen defined by complex geometry and exacting tolerances. Working closely with Barthold, Cornerstone navigated sculptural stone detailing, translating bold design into a refined, precisely executed focal point.
Contact: 562.658.6123 | @cornerstone777designs
Innovation in kitchen design is expressed through the sculptural countertop edge and a meticulous slab layout, transforming stone into a one-of-a-kind artwork.