Designing an efficient home kitchen for a gourmand with the request that the kitchen be traditional, eco-friendly, and open, is easier than ever before. The plethora of new products for surfaces, cooking, storage and more is amazing, and most are also promoting indoor air quality as well. Space challenges generally require a professional kitchen designer, and the results speak for themselves.
Opening It Up
Easy access, a bit of glamour, and maximum storage were the requests for this kitchen design. One of the first things was introduce an open floor plan. The kitchen, dining room, and family room now easily flow into one another. With this layout, the homeowner is able to interact with family and friends while cooking. The primary working area - the peninsula - is oriented to the south so the homeowner can view her large screen television and have maximum natural lighting whether prepping vegetables or washing dishes. I wanted the kitchen to reflect the Asian style furnishings in the dining and living area, yet be sleek enough to suit the client's love of modern design. The kitchen boasts a Zen-like palette of muted taupe on the walls and the glamorous recycled glass tile backsplash. With a wall of necessary appliances and a newly installed pantry wall, this kitchen is small and efficient but offers ample counter top space for creating gourmet meals.
Clever Details
The cabinets and pantry wall have a simple inset panel with modern stainless pulls that marry tradition with a sleek style. The upper cabinets have glass doors so the client is able to display dishes and her blue and white collectibles. I counterbalanced the traditional look with stainless-steel appliances and slick stainless bar stools. Fabulous art-glass pendants bring in a hand-made element that adds drama and color to the main cooking area. Inset into cabinets are a baking center, a microwave, and storage elements that make using the compact kitchen a breeze.
Going Green
I chose materials and finishes for their eco-friendly and healthy properties. A bank of energy-efficient windows in the kitchen and dining area facilitates cross ventilation, as does the new doorway to access the backyard for relaxing and barbecuing. The cabinets are FSC certified woods, finished with low-VOC stains. Builders used formaldehyde-free plywood, strawboard, and insulation, as well as solvent-free adhesives in the construction of the cabinets. Walls are finished in no-VOC paints by Benjamin Moore. In cabinet LED lights, a Lutron Graphic Eye system and recessed LED on dimmers, offer eco efficient lighting. Most of the year, the position and scale of the window, along with the LED under cabinet lighting strip provide sufficient natural lighting so that little power is used. Using a permanent seal on the granite counters, eliminates the need for bi-annual chemical treatments and adds anti-microbial properties. Recycled porcelain tiles in a large format, make the floor easy-care and eco-friendly.