Tag: kitchen design
Favorite Kitchens
I really like kitchens that have a modern edge with a rustic vibe.
The kitchen is, for a lot of people, the core of the house. It’s a place where families tend to gather, so it must be welcoming and comfortable. On the other hand, a kitchen also serves an important function and must meet a family’s needs for cooking and entertaining. Finding a balance between style and livability means making thoughtful choices for flooring, fabrics, and wall treatments, making the space easy to clean and maintain according to the family’s lifestyle.
No matter how big or small the kitchen is, it has to contain certain elements. When planning a kitchen, you need to take those necessary elements and figure out how to achieve that ideal balance of function and aesthetics. You have to be mindful of how heavily the kitchen will be used and the best placement of each item. There are a lot of factors to be aware of, from comfort to organization. Right now we’re seeing a trend toward modern, simplistic kitchens with very clean lines. Counters often have mitered edges and we see big, expansive spaces. The cabinetry tends to be simpler, without a lot of details, molding, or hardware. When you remove something, like storage, you have to also incorporate a new solution in order to maintain the kitchen’s functionality.
I really like kitchens that have a modern edge with a rustic vibe. Stripping elements down to a simpler form while maintaining comfort and practicality is an art form I truly appreciate.
What is your favorite kind of kitchen?
Design Dose
A kitchen made for gathering.
Waterworks Kitchen
Almost every element of the kitchen is part of the Waterworks Kitchen line, creating a complete design experience.
I was in NYC recently for an appointment, rushing because I was late. I stopped short when I saw a new Waterworks storefront with a beautiful vignette and just had to go inside even though I was running late. This Waterworks show room is not massive in scale, but what they fit in was so impressive. The line includes everything from sinks and fittings to cabinets and work tables. Everything has been designed with an eye toward both form and function, using the finest materials.
Almost every element of the kitchen is part of the Waterworks Kitchen line, creating a complete design experience. I saw simple lines and super approachable products that a wide range of people will gravitate toward. The cabinets are simple but come in sultry, interesting colors with smokier tones, not your typical white kitchen. I find the way they displayed kitchen sinks so interesting, showcasing vast array of ways to use them. One sink I loved was immense at 54 in long with two drying boards set underneath — so clever and really inventive.
Waterworks has expanded plumbing fixtures to the point where they have a grand scale and such a presence. The new lines are not typical and show an insightful reinvention of fixtures and other kitchen elements. Waterworks has turned a product that was already great into something really thoughtful. This is such beautiful hardware. I really appreciate how they’ve taken an element we all believe in at its simplest form and developed on it. Today’s clients don’t want a lot of hardware in a modern setting, which is why the Waterworks recessed options are so smart. The light fixtures are also quite modern and appealing with an industrial vibe, definitely something for everyone.
I walked out wanting to design whole Waterworks kitchen with all of the accoutrements that go with it. The Waterworks showroom is so well presented, it makes it easy for a client to envision their own kitchen design, and that in itself is a success.
Design Dose
English culinary.
Design Dose
A touch of rustic.
At Home Magazine: Balancing Act
There’s a certain satisfaction that comes with seeing a design fully come together as this one did.
I was thrilled to see one of my favorite kitchen projects featured in the current issue of At Home Magazine. This was a project I collaborated on with Sound Beach Partners. Designing this kitchen involved first gutting and opening up the original space. There’s a certain satisfaction that comes with seeing a design fully come together as this one did. The resulting space is both beautiful and functional, with a layout that pleases the eye while giving the homeowners every convenience available in a working kitchen. 
By Ann Loynd, Photos by Neil Landino
The Butler’s Pantry
You have a great opportunity to create a whimsical, playful space with a butler’s pantry.
Traditionally, a butler’s pantry served an essential function in large, wealthy, European estate homes. In these homes, the butler’s pantry was the domain of the home’s butler, who used this area as both an office and a place to store and inventory valuable silver and china. In this space, the butler would keep track of household matters, oversee staff, and carry out his many responsibilities. In fact, the butler’s pantry was so crucial to the running of the household that the butler often slept there.
A modern butler’s pantry serves a similar purpose, giving the home additional storage space and staging area. It’s a nice alternative to storing china and serving pieces in a large hutch, allowing you to minimize furniture in the dining room and free up space in the kitchen. It can act as an extension of the kitchen, providing more counter space for prep and clean up when entertaining. The butler’s pantry is also a good place for a wine cellar, giving you ease of access whether you choose to install a small wine refrigerator or something more extensive. When entertaining, it’s nice to not have to go far to select a bottle of wine.
The butler’s pantry doesn’t have to be strictly utilitarian. You have a great opportunity to create a whimsical, playful space. Consider taking risks with this smaller, less public part of the kitchen by using different materials. Elements such as tiles, stone, and colors don’t have to match the rest of the kitchen. The butler’s pantry can be a jewel box of a room!
Lastly, I’d like to share images of butler’s pantries I’ve designed for my own clients. There’s something so appealing about taking a traditional, functional space like this and incorporating it into a modern home. The goal is to keep the feel and usefulness of the room but make it relevant to the homeowner’s lifestyle.
What would your ideal butler’s pantry look like?