To make it more gracious for large dinner parties, the formal dining room was opened up to the kitchen but, in a reversal of the trend, the kitchen was elevated to the elegance of the dining room. Functional items were visually silenced by minimalist design techniques, and a true blend and balance of historical periods was established by creating a gallery-like space where the eye is led to the views on 3 sides and caresses over hand-crafted and historical elements and artwork.