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Becoming Bistro
Staging: Cynthia Taylor
Designer: Lisa Dell’Osso
Contractor: McNeil Construction
Jim and Nancy Lewis' deep love for Paris is the inspiration for their family's bistro-styled kitchen. "We love everything French," says Nancy Lewis. "We spent Jim's 50th birthday and Bastille Day in Paris." To bring the City of Light home, there's a custom-made breakfast table in the style of a French pastry table, a pot rack modeled after a French antique and a French phrase on the wall: Peu importe ce qu'il y a sur la table, l'important sont les convives.
Translation: "It doesn't matter what's on the table. What's important is the company."
The design of the Lewis kitchen strikes a critical balance. "I wanted something different that reflected our family and how we live," says Nancy Lewis. "And I also wanted people to walk in and think this was the original kitchen with a few updates." To keep in sync with the period, the homeowners carried stylistic elements from the rest of the house--hardwood floors with contrasting inlay, Craftsman-styled windows and moldings--into the kitchen. Among the period detail is a customcarved frieze with designs of a softball (16-year-old Maggie is a softball player), a cat paw (in honor of their household pet, Daisy) and a Plumeria blossom (because they also love traveling to Hawaii).
Cool Craftsman
Staging: Grace McHugh
Designer: Kathleen And John Gardner
Contractor: James Gardner Of Southwest Construction
This Bay Farm kitchen's two dishwashers, two ranges, two stovetops and multiple workspaces let you know you're in the home of a serious cook. This is also a wonderful demonstration kitchen, where visitors and students relaxing at a raised breakfast bar get a fine view of the workstations. "Everybody loves to sit up at the counter and talk to you while you're cooking and eating," says Kathleen Gardner. "They prefer the bar instead of the table. It's a great gathering-round spot."
Gardner designed the kitchen herself and with her husband, John, sourced the building material. Much of the room's drama comes from the Verde Merinacci granite of the island countertop with floor tiles complementing its black and umber. Other striking accents are a fireplace surround with wall tiled in a harlequin design with pink Carrera and Nero Marquina marble. While the granite and tile add drama, the cherry cabinetry and window trim make the room a warm, welcoming space reflecting the Craftsman period. Other just-right touches include double-hung wooden windows and French doors.
Room With A View
Staging: Joy Wilkins
Designer and Contractor: Custom Kitchens by John Wilkins Inc.
When Edward Foster came down with Parkinson's disease in 1995, he and his wife, Isabella, knew they would ultimately have to make some major life changes to accommodate his mobility. "We love where we are and have a great view," says Isabella Foster of their Ballena Bay home. Since they couldn't bear to leave their water setting, they decided to commit to some extensive remodeling so Edward could fully participate in family life.
Functionality guided the floor plan and major elements of the kitchen design. The large center island has two heights--one for Edward, who has long legs and stands nearly 6 feet, and one for 5-foot-4 Isabella. For countertops and cabinetry, Foster steered away from "too slick" materials. "I'm from Italy," she says, "We have so much granite and marble there that it doesn't impress me much." The new kitchen is now a nexus for a variety of family activities. A breakfast table and seating area are adjacent to the center island, and a countertop and small glass cabinet separate the kitchen from a dining area. To communicate with the living room, which sits half a floor below the kitchen, an arched pass-through was added. Now instead of facing a wall when she does the dishes, Isabella can talk with company and enjoy a view of the channel.
Arch Revival
Staging: Grace McHugh
Designer: Helen and Peter Molloy
Contractor: Steven Riley of Pennywise Construction
When Helen Molloy tells the story of her new kitchen, she references corners and how they used to be. Where there is now a cleverly built-in window seat, she explains, there once was a massive ceiling-to-floor aluminum window. "It was nearly two inches thick," she says. "They had to smash it and take it out in pieces."
Striking mullioned panes with a half-moon transom replaced the aluminum window above the sink, and arches make their way into the backsplash tile design over the stove and French doors. "My husband loves arches," she says. Since the old kitchen was narrow and dark, the Molloys lightened it up with 30 recessed lights and additional lighting above and below the cabinets. For mood and on-demand drama, they have 12 controls to light up different areas.
Modern Rustic
Staging: Joy Wilkins
Designer and Contractor: Custom Kitchens by John Wilkins Inc.
When Madelyn Chaber met with Joy Wilkins of Custom Kitchens by John Wilkins Inc. to discuss her kitchen remodel, Chaber had a very specific list of wants. "I knew I wanted a copper sink and copper stove hood," she says. She also wanted a center island that looked more like a piece of furniture than a piece of built-in cabinetry. "Rustic" comes up a lot when Chaber talks about the look and feel she sought. Limestone countertops and pale yellow cabinets with a slightly distressed Old World finish give the kitchen's perimeter a nearly ethereal quality. "I like the idea of keeping the outside edges soft and light," she says. The room's centerpiece, an island topped with rich Red Dragon marble, adds deep earth tones.
Chaber's son, 14-year-old Charlie, was resistant to remodeling at first. "He thought it was a waste of time," says Chaber. Now that it's done, he enjoys it and likes to tour his friends through while making them guess where the dishwasher is--challenging, because it and the refrigerator hide behind cabinetry facing.
