“I love cooking and entertaining and would love to have everyone in the kitchen at the same time.” – This was the beginning of my client’s vision for the project. As she concluded, with a deep breath, she said, “At the end of the day, after I put my son to bed, I simply want to sit back with a glass of wine and relax”. This depiction of her imagined lifestyle inspired my design.

Working with 150sqft, the kitchen and dining areas were closed off by partitions separating them from the rest of the house. The placement of the dining room table limited access to the patio doors. An added challenge was the large window in front of the sink that pushed the stove into the corner. Lastly, the refrigerator jutted out in front of the opening of the kitchen.

A full wall of tall cabinets for ample storage was created by modifying the previous opening into the kitchen. The large window over the sink was redesigned to incorporate two smaller windows. This would allow the once "cornered" stove to comfortably be placed in the middle of the 2 windows, bringing softness to the kitchen. Finally, the perception of spaciousness was achieved by removing the wall between the kitchen and living room, welcoming more natural light into the room. Without moving the patio door, I was able to redesign the area to create a relaxing, clean, and welcoming space.

For my client, it was imperative that family and friends be able to participate in the meal preparations. A working island, with seating for five was designed to allow for informal dining or additional seating when entertaining. Bonus features of the island include a sink, dishwasher and a built-in paper towel holder for maximum functionality.

 “At night, after I put my son to bed, I get to dim the lights pour a glass of wine and exhale.