2010 kitchens
1. Designer- Frances Figg and JoBeth Halpin/
Figg-Halpin Design
General Contractor- Damian Bird
The wish list for the homeowners included maximizing the space and efficiency of the kitchen, while remaining within the original footprint and respecting the open floor plan of the house. By relocating the side entrance and installing French doors that open onto a new deck, they not only maximized the use of the kitchen space, but provided a much needed connection to the rear yard, creating an extension of the living space during the summertime. The eco-friendly Lyptus cabinets were stained a rich Mahogany color, and the use of a modified Shaker style door with a full overlay panel gives a nod to the traditional design of the house, and a modern flair. A custom designed media center and a remodeled bathroom were also incorporated into the new kitchen.
2. Designer- Rebekah Zaveloff/KitchenLab
Contractor- Jose Romero
The color palette of this sophisticated kitchen is cream and black with accents of brown. But the chalkboard custom fit over the double door refrigerator and the beautifully carved out mud room attests that it was also carefully designed to be kid-friendly. Handsome ash cabinets cover one perimeter wall, while the center island and opposite wall of cabinets feature reeded frosted glass and are painted black. Cream subway tile grouted in black, Kashmir white granite counters, oak floors, and walls painted soft linen all harmonize with the primary colors. An unexpected splash of color is provided by the classic schoolhouse light fixtures that have been updated in a striking shade of custard with black banding.
3. Designer-Pamela Polvere, CKD/Pamela Polvere Designs
Sunny yellow walls, white cabinets and an expanded space have transformed this once cramped galley kitchen into one that is delightfully spacious, warm and bright. The breakfast room and kitchen, once separated by a wall, are now combined in the new L-shaped space. Counters are gray quartzite, a material that resembles marble but is a metaphoric rock. A built-in desk and computer station is separate from the food prep areas, but convenient for all family members to use. Environmentally-friendly products such as a resilient cork floor, LED lighting that lowers energy consumption, and paints without volatile organic compounds, have all been incorporated into this cheerful kitchen.
4. Designer-Pamela Polvere, CKD/Pamela Polvere Designs
This 1887 Tudor style house with select Prairie upgrades features a kitchen designed for serious chefs. The historic oak woodwork and paneling were the inspiration for the cabinets and wood details in this large functional kitchen. A dramatic art glass light fixture in shades of cream and coral suspends from the vaulted ceiling, complimenting the soft apricot walls. Oak floors and a black walnut-topped center island with charcoal-colored cabinets provide a dramatic contrast to the perimeter cream-faced cabinets topped in black honed granite. Other decorative elements include a bead board backsplash and a mix of glass and satin nickel cabinet pulls.
5. Designer-Jean Stoffer/Jean Stoffer Design
Contractor- American Rehabber
Architect- David Raino-Ogden
The original home features a hybrid of Victorian and Craftsman styles. The turret in the front of the home and the beamed ceiling in the dining room informed the layout and detailing of the kitchen. An addition included a turret-like banquette area, which is both comfortable and flooded with natural light. The mass of necessary large pieces like the refrigerator and freezer can overpower a space; here they were minimized by recessing them into a wall and designing the room's architectural elements in tandem with them. The beamed ceiling, copper hood, and window placement brought the symmetry and axis lines of the room together into a cohesive whole, referencing the home's original architecture well.
6. Designer- Denise Hauser/Denise Hauser Design
Contractor- David Buckingham
In the 1980s the previous owners of this colonial home built a stunning two-story addition. Unfortunately this space was separated from the kitchen by a wall and narrow hallway. The challenge facing the current homeowners was to update the kitchen and open it to the back room. After completing structural work to maintain egress to the original basement exit, the designer created a large peninsula that connects the two spaces and gave the wood beams in the family room a dark stain. The footprint of the kitchen was made more efficient by placing the burgundy range diagonally in the corner, moving the refrigerator next to the sink and adding a center island with seating. The diagonal range became the focal point to showcase the custom hand-painted tile backsplash that was custom designed for the avid tile lover who lives in this home
7. Designer- Brooke Marks, Homeowner
Contractor- Joseph Svaton
Green is not only the color theme of this kitchen, the concept of “green” is found in many of the products in the kitchen as well. The clean lines of the formaldehyde-free, white, high-gloss kitchen cabinets are contemporary; while the water-based finish of the black-brown shaker style oak cabinets keeps the space timeless. Upper cabinetry has all but been eliminated to allow for an open and bright space where natural light is abundant. Environmentally-friendly, snow white quartz counters, and white subway tiles provide a stunning contrast to the green penny tile accents and mosaic. The strikingly simple industrial style stainless steel pendant light fixtures, open shelves, range hood, and drawer pulls effectively demonstrate that less is definitely more in terms of function, beauty, and easy maintenance.
8. Designer- Mark Menna/Mark Menna Designs
Architect and Designer- Matthew Kerouac
Contractor-Grams Construction
This stunning kitchen, positioned in the front of the house in direct relationship with the living room, dramatically captures the serenity of contemporary Asian design. The use of organic materials and uncluttered lines gives the space a sleek minimalist look. The same wood is used in all the cabinets: furniture quality stained and glazed alder veneer with simple polished nickel pulls and no decorative molding. A massive island illuminated by pendant fixtures of geometric crystal is the only freestanding piece of furniture in the kitchen. Quartzite, a natural stone, is used for this counter as well as the equally large cooking alcove with its backsplash of unique glass tiles in shades of blue, gray, and white in a variety of horizontal sizes. Open shelving above this alcove is used to display Asian art.
9. Designer-Jean Stoffer/Jean Stoffer Design
Contractor-Steve Ryan
Architect-Thomas Bair
This kitchen was carefully designed for everything from serving intimate meals, to canning home-grown food, to large scale entertaining. The interplay of classic design elements with modern accents creates an interesting mosaic. The blue center island serves many functions: family meals at one end, atop a round walnut counter, food prep at the working side with a butcher block top, and buffet service on the elevated side topped in Calcutta marble. The tile in the cooking alcove has subtle gradations of hues ranging from green to blue to cream accenting the beige cabinets that flank the alcove. In a second alcove, wet bar cabinetry painted the same beige, partner with a metallic glazed ceramic tile backsplash. Frosted glass pocket doors conceal a secondary kitchen where food prep for large gatherings and specialty cooking is done. This room is flooded with natural light and provides a welcome, bright spot for the avid homemaker to enjoy her craft.
10. Designer- Gino Fioravanti/Millwork Studio Inc.
Architect- Millwork Studio and John Patrick
There’s a lot to like in this elegant, yet comfortable kitchen. The centerpiece is a large two-tier center island with butterfly gold granite counters and glazed off white painted cabinets. The upper cabinets adjacent to the island contain crown molding with decorative crossbars across the glass front and are stacked upon solid cherry cabinets for everyday use. A distinctive harlequin design of golden onyx with a marble insert creates a beautiful backsplash that compliments the rich cherry cabinets and white marble countertops. This functional space includes a separate butler’s pantry between the kitchen and dining room and a huge walk-in pantry with floor-to-ceiling shelving.
