That’s entertainment

While perhaps not quite a window to the soul, a kitchen can express who we are. This is the philosophy that underlies the approach of designer Jere Bowden, who has created a practical culinary solution that not only complements, but provides a focal point to the renovation of this 1919 bungalow. Designing the kitchen specifically for the new owners, particularly given the narrow, galley-like space she would have to work with, presented Bowden with its own conundrum. As home to Caroline Hipple, president of furniture chain Storehouse, and her husband, not only would the kitchen have to meet the expectations of a design expert, but also exhibit the functionality demanded by the couple’s busy professional lifestyles. Top priority for Bowden in creating the layout was for the fixtures and fittings to be appropriate to the owners’ needs. “I looked at who they were and consequently how they would cook and eat,” she says. With hectic schedules dictating that the owners would only be home for short spaces of time, it was important for the area to remain clean and easy to use, yet still integrate the traditional appliances favored by an enthusiastic, if time-poor, cook. Neutral colors, stainless surfaces and dark floors achieve the former, while the positioning of the microwave next to the freezer is a direct tribute to sometimes-rushed eating habits. However, this is not to suggest that the house is never filled with the aromas of fine food. “The owners regularly host big parties, yet these are generally catered. Therefore, a primary function of the kitchen is to provide a welcoming entertaining circle as well as a domestic cooking facility,” says the designer. The overall layout of the kitchen was vital to its integration within the renovation of the home. As the hallway opens up, the view is not of modern culinary appliances and cleaning instruments; but instead light-colored cabinetry and dark surfaces, which enhances the welcoming feel. According to Bowden, this has become the couple’s favorite view within their new home. Given the kitchen’s social, rather than culinary emphasis, Bowden explains that books and music play an important role. “Both are great catalysts for discussion,” she says. And though the window-side table can be moved for the more crowded social gatherings, it receives the ideal light for a spot of reading during some well-earned downtime.

Story by: Trendsideas