DESIGN STATEMENT:

Our clients, being of good health but entering their late 70’s were looking to build a new home which would allow them to downsize their home and belongings without losing the most important part of being alive….their freedom. Freedom to stay in their own home, freedom to cook well and entertain, and freedom to enjoy the arts and crafts acquired over years of travel which have always made their homes so unique.

An architect had designed their new home for complete 1st floor living with one large Great Room at the center of the home…that would function as space for the kitchen, dining room and living room …a Master Bed & Bath Suite on the east of the Great Room….a Sun Deck to the south and a 4-Season Porch to the west. We were tasked with designing the spaces within the Great Room so that each could function well for its individual needs….cooking, eating, relaxing…while at the same time allowing for comfortable interaction between the spaces and efficient traffic flow to the rest of the home.

In designing the kitchen, the client wanted to maintain a full size kitchen with top quality appliances, ample work surfaces and custom cabinetry. She also wanted a large island with seating which could double as a working island and an eating island. And because the space would be a focal point of the whole house, the presentation of the cabinetry and appliances had to compliment the Great Room as a whole. How did we accomplish all of this?

DESIGN SOLUTIONS:

• By creating six large LED lighted coffers, we helped establish visual zones within the Great Room that would help define the spaces
o The kitchen would be covered by two of the coffers, the dining room and living room would each be covered by one and the other two would cover the traffic zones
• The kitchen would be defined as an L-shape with one leg being full height cabinetry and appliances and the other being a countertop with sink looking out a window to the surrounding woods
o With 10’ ceilings, we didn’t want the cabinetry to overpower the wall elevation so we added two LED lighted art display niches with white back painted glass backs….which would enable the client to display some of their arts and crafts and tie the living room artwork in with the kitchen
o We also added a couple of steps in the ceiling crown moulding to give definition to the entire run of cabinetry
o By using the same crown and beading mouldings as were used in the coffers, but painting them to match the cabinetry we again connected the spaces but made them unique also
• Because the client does not have a separate pantry area, we needed to maximize the storage capabilities of all of our cabinetry. And because our clients are aging, functionality and universal designs were of utmost importance. Here is a list of all of the options included:
o Custom 2-bin pullout Trash for trash and recycling
o Under sink, pullout & lift out cleaning caddy
o BRIZO Electronic touch sink faucet with pullout sprayer
o Air push button garbage disposal switch
o Crank out casement windows over the sink
o In-drawer power strip in top, front drawer of the island for iPhones and iPads
o LeMans pullout shelves at blind corner cabinet
o Under cabinet LED work lights
o Under cabinet…but not in back splash….outlets…for a clean look
o WOLF Induction AND gas cooktops for all types of cooking
o WOLF Hood with heat lamps and warming racks
o BRIZO articulated pot filler at the cooktops
o Pullout storage drawers throughout …on BLUM full motion slides
 Extra deep 27” drawer boxes at the island for maximum storage
o Custom pullout spice drawer
o Hidden storage above the stove hood….the cabinetry panel dresses up the appearance but then swings open for a lot of extra storage. Panel is hinged with BLUM Aventos lift hinges and can easily be opened with one hand
o Pullout drawer for cooking sheets and cutting boards
o BOSCH wall oven with side hinged door for easier access
o BOSCH convection & steam oven for healthy cooking
o SUB-ZERO Refrigerator/Freezer with built-in water dispenser and ice maker
o Half-height Pantry Cabinet with hinged double door for full access to:
 Top shelf lighted, pullout coffee station
 Adjustable height, pullout storage shelves below
 Storage area for high-stability Little Giant ladder which client can use to access high reach cabinetry areas. Ladder was pre-tested by the client to ensure stability and ease of use before we designed it into the cabinetry
 Hi-def 32” TV above on an articulated arm bracket so it can be easily pulled out and positioned for viewing anywhere in the Great Room
• Two additional items that were not a direct part of the Kitchen itself but help with the Universal Design of the whole Great Room are
o LUTRON - RadioRA2 whole house lighting control system
o SONOS WiFi controlled whole house music system
• An interesting note….we had always planned on 2 or even 3 pendent lights over the island but the client has found that the coffered ceiling lights along with the 4” LED recessed work lights generate enough lighting at all work areas. The wiring is installed in the ceiling so additional lighting at the island can always be added if needed.