Overview
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The completed kitchen: Loads of storage space and a lot of light
Cabinets designed for optimum storage can't do their job without optimum light.
Spectacular windows bring in loads of daylight, while three rows of unobtrusive
recessed fixtures work the late shift. The recessed lights directly over the sink contain
spotlights and provide focused, shadow-free illumination for food prep and cleanup. The other two rows are centered over the “traffic patterns” and contain floodlights for general illumination of the floor and upper cabinets. Pendant lights over the island hang low enough to illuminate the countertop and cooktop, but high enough to avoid shining directly into anyone's eyes.
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Before: The kitchen as it was.
The kitchen always has been, and always will be, the heart of the
home. It's where family members cook, do homework, host dinner
parties and go over the highlights of the day. The only thing
better than a kitchen that can accommodate all these activities is a kitchen that
can accommodate them in a well-organized manner—and be attractive to
boot. This kitchen succeeds.
No more living room
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After
The new kitchen plan.
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Before
The old kitchen layout.
The homeowners wanted a larger kitchen, a larger dining room, a butler's
pantry and a dedicated “communication hub”—all without adding on. Something
had to give. For this busy Upper Midwest family, the thing that “gave”
was the formal living room; in fact, it was eliminated (see illustrations).
“They gave up a room they underused and gained space they'll use every
day,” explains designer Pat Undlin. “The new spaces better fit the way they live
and entertain.”
Without adding a square inch of space, the design team from Pappas Inc. was able to accommodate the family's love of cooking and entertaining.
Reconfiguring the existing space involved:
- Narrowing the existing living room space and
converting it into a spacious formal dining room.
- Extending the kitchen into the old dining room area.
- Adding a butler's pantry and communication
hub to space “stolen” from the old living room.
Storage and other amenities
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The butler's pantry
The under-counter wine chiller and
refrigerator keep beverages close
to the dining room for easy
access during dinner parties.
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Well planned drawer configuration
Shallow drawers directly
beneath the cooktop store spatulas,
tongs and other cooking
utensils in the area where
they're used. Deeper drawers
below keep pots and pans neatly
stored and easily accessible.
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Cool drawers that keep things warm.
Warming drawers, directly across from
the cooktop and kitty-corner to the
ovens, are a near-necessity when you're
hosting large dinner parties.
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Knife drawer maximizes storage
Double-decker drawers with sliding
trays store two layers of knives, utilizing
valuable drawer “dead air” space.
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The ever useful appliance garage
A corner appliance cabinet hides
coffeemakers, toasters and other
small appliances while making
efficient use of often-wasted
corner space.
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Over the fridge storage
The above-refrigerator cabinet
contains vertical partitions for
storing trays, flat pans and
cutting boards.
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Media cabinet
A media cabinet holds a TV, a
DVD player and DVDs. Flipper
doors swing open, then glide
back into the sides of the cabinet
to provide an unobstructed
view.
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A kitchen multi-media center
It's impossible to predict what
computer and communication
equipment will be like in a few years.
If you want to be wired for anything, install
a distribution box in an out-of-the-way
location and run conduit to it so you can
swap out wiring and make connections
later on as necessary. At a minimum, have
your contractor install CAT-5e cable for
your phone lines and RG-6 coaxial wire for
your cable; they should take care of most
future needs.
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A hard-working island
The cabinet island houses a cooktop, pan storage and snack bar
area. To make the snack bar area look more table-like, the space
below the bar was left wide open and massive natural wood posts
were used for the legs.
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Space-saving detail: Hidden outlets, handy location
Continuous electrical strips with outlets spaced
every 12 in. are positioned along the back lower
edge of the wall cabinets. A valance built into
the cabinets helps hide the
strips—and the undercabinet
lighting—from view, and
the close spacing provides
power for small appliances
wherever they're used.
Behind the simple white doors are hard-working
cabinets, each designed for maximum storage, efficiency
and utility. Base cabinets with rollout trash
and recycling receptacles are positioned next to the
sink. The cabinet with the butcher block top at the
end of the island has drawers with sliding plastic
tops to store snacks and to keep bakery goods
fresh. Full-extension glides were used for all the
drawers and rollouts to provide complete access to
storage spaces.
This high-energy, high-tech family also needed a
communication hub near the kitchen for holding
computers, charging cell phones and leaving messages.
Filing drawers disguised as cabinets, a built-in
desk and plenty of counter space for homework
are all within whispering distance of the kitchen.
The role of the butler may be long gone, but that
of the butler's pantry remains alive and well. The
pantry provides a space for staging dishes and
making final food preparations close to, but not in,
the dining room. It contains nearly 20 sq. ft. of
counter space, a wine chiller, under-counter refrigerator for keeping beverages close at hand and a small sink. The dishwasher serves as a backup during
large dinner parties.
Glass-front upper cabinets provide a convenient
place to store dinnerware while helping give the
room an open feel. Pocket doors on both ends of
the pantry close off the after-dinner mess and help
control “helpful” guests who want to pitch in.
Disappearing pocket doors
Design it Right: A Zillion Questions Equals the Best Kitchen
Before the designers from Pappas Inc. break
out the drawing board, they sit down with the
clients and go through a six-page questionnaire.
Are they right or left-handed? Do
they buy in bulk? Are there special physical
or sight considerations? Finding out
more about the clients—right down to where
they like to store the dog food—helps create
a more efficient, user friendly (and user loved)
kitchen.
To help separate the butler's pantry and
communication hub from the adjacent
spaces without taking up valuable floor
space, pocket doors were used.
A special sterling silver drawer in the
butler's pantry has a lining and flap
made of Pacific Silvercloth, a feltlike
material that helps inhibit tarnish
and corrosion. The drawers are deep
enough to accommodate serving and
eating utensils, as well as small pieces
like creamers and condiment trays.
