Haute cuisine This kitchen is designed to enhance the art of cooking

The prevalence of television shows dedicated to cooking is proof that more and more of us are seeing the preparation of a meal as an event to be savored and celebrated.

This is being translated into kitchen design, where it is now commonplace for home kitchens to feature a level of commercial functionality.

For a recent remodel client, cooking is also a great way to unwind after a busy day, says John DeForest, principal of DeForest Architects.

"Cooking is a form of relaxation for this particular client. He gets a great deal of satisfaction from preparing ten-course meals for family and friends.

"For this reason, the kitchen he envisioned needed to be very practical, with specific zones for each type of activity and with the necessary equipment close at hand."

The original kitchen did not fit into this vision, so the architect stripped the space back to the bare bones and rebuilt it.

"Aesthetically, the kitchen had a lodge-like feel, with lots of wood and stone, which was too heavy for this client. We removed it in strategic locations to give the entire home a leaner, lighter feel something more akin to a loft."

"With a remodel, the key is to identify what you want to keep and what you don't, and then build a palette around that to create a new balance. We worked with the grain of the house, exposing certain elements and then incorporating those into the wider scheme. The steel pot rack is an example of that, acting as an extension of the exposed steel structure," says DeForest.

The architect and interior designer worked to ensure cohesiveness of the overall palette.

"There is an honesty and rawness to the finishes that reflects how things are made. The zinc on the hood, backsplash and bar counter, for example, was chosen because it absorbs wear and tear, developing a patina over time that reflects the client's use of the home."

Story by: Trendsideas