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BATH & KITCHEN
DESIGN IDEAS |
That's Entertainment
Whether it’s a Saturday night party for a dozen friends,
or family night with pizza and homework, these days that kitchen is the
gathering spot – the heart, brain and central nervous system of
the home.
This means the room must have multiple personalities… comfortable
enough for one or two, yet flexible enough to welcome a crowd of your
nearest and dearest.
Experienced kitchen design professionals have developed lots of great
ways to create rooms that entertain with style and grace, without giving
up everyday convenience and functionality. Here they share some of their
secrets.
Plan each area for multitasking, recommends Marc Schlesser, interior
designer and remodeling consultant at MyHome, Certified Remodeling Specialists,
New York, NY. “For instance, the counter area near the family or
living room where you grab breakfast during the week doubles as a buffet
server for parties,” he says.
Or add a vegetable sink where someone can help the cook. “Later
on that functions as a bar sink,” offers Kimball Derrick, CKD,
of The Kitchen Design Studio and K.D. and Steel Cabinetry, Cincinnati,
Ohio.
Select a trough sink and locate it in an island, suggests Leslie Copsey,
SCC Custom Remodeling Inc., in Rogers, Minn. After party prep is complete,
fill the sink with ice and use it as a seafood or beverage bar. Joyce
Cessar, of Cuvee Kitchen Designs INC., in Gibsonia, PA., like this idea: “Plan
an area as a server or buffet, with several drawers designated for desk
paraphernalia, while the rest stored glasses, dishes, platters, etc.
This area now functions not only as a phone/message center, but also
as a dry or wet bar, and for late night or brunch it can become a coffee/dessert
bar.”
Go with the Flow
Visually join rooms by choosing cabinets that look like fine furniture
suggests Keith Levine, of Schrapper’s Fine Cabinetry & Design
in Jupiter, Fla. The kitchen flows more readily into a shared family
room if you include shallow base cabinetry along an adjoining wall in
the same door style. Add glass doors with backlighting to tie the two
spaces together and create a relaxed, informal design, he explains.
Another tip from Levine: keep the height of an eat-at counter top at
36” (the same as the rest of the base cabinetry.) This creates
a sweeping line of sight and visually opens the area so that adjoining
rooms can “share” the same space. Conversations take place
easily and the cook can work, but still be in touch with the family or
guests.
David Norton, CMKBD, Ellis Kitchen & Bath Studio, Columbus, Ohio,
points to a wide array of appliances that make both everyday life and
entertaining easier. He likes high-capacity icemakers and wine storage
units. And he also recommends “a refrigerated beverage drawer that’s
out of the work area but accessible to guests, that can then be filled
with snacks for the kids at other times.”
This arrangement saves space in the work area and allows everyone to
stay out of each other’s way, so chefs work with less stress, effort
and fewer interruptions, agrees Cessar. Other convenient touches are
warming drawers, built-in coffee/espresso makers, and instant hot- or
cold- filtered water dispensers.
Second dishwashers located out of the main work area, perhaps at the
bar or butler’s pantry, are an entertaining asset, too. “Fill
them with glasses from the cocktail hour as the party progresses and
you don’t face a huge cleanup at the end of the evening,” offers
Schlesser. Some models feature racks that can be raised to include large
pots, trays and platter or offer inserts designed to hold fine stemware.
Tool of the Trade
Choose hardworking but elegant surfaces in appropriate materials, says
Schlesser, who favors impermeable and tough quartz surfaces. Other possibilities
with good looks and top-rated function are granite and stainless steel.
When it comes to cabinetry, he suggests combining elegance for entertaining
with everyday practically by using flat doors that eliminate hard-to-clean
routing or panel recesses. For an edgier look, consider using some of
the newest laminates including metallic and exotic woods, he adds.
Set the Mood
Lighting is another key aspect of the kitchen that entertains well. “Just
as you need unity and continuity with cabinetry materials, the lighting
in adjoining spaces should be in keeping,” says Schlesser. One
suggestion: recessed fixtures with halogen lamps, installed on dimmers.
Streamlined and simple, these even work well if the cabinetry is traditional
cherry or oak. And add under cabinet lighting to illuminate task areas.
Installed on a rheostat, these can change the mood and ambiance in an
instant, recommends Derrick.
Music, via a built-in sound system, is also an important part of creating
an atmosphere that can range from serene and elegant to upbeat and energizing.
But plan ahead to accommodate the ceiling speaker, advises Cessar.
A noisy dishwasher or range hood, can quickly destroy the ambience, she
points out. “This is true not just for when you’re entertaining,
but on a daily basis as well,” she says. A good designer will build
noise control into your kitchen plan by specifying units that are especially
designed for quiet function.
Hi-Tech Helper
And don’t forget to plan for the TV, computers, and other electronics,
Jillian Stroh, a designer at Designer’s Showcase Kitchens & Baths
in Carol Stream, Ill., likes flip-down televisions that mount easily
under cabinetry at work areas. A 15-inch flat screen TV suspended from
the ceiling allows the lone cook to catch up on the news, or a group
to watch music videos. Another possibility: include a cabinet to house
a TV near the dining area.
Bill Stewart, CKBI, at the same firm, recommends a separate desk area/computer
area within the kitchen as a great place for family organization, as
well as a perfect spot to monitor children as they dot heir homework.
From the daily beehive of activity to the celebration of life’s
special events, a well-planned new kitchen will be a real joy. |
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