When people ask for a functional space, what they get is cabinets and countertops.
But ever wondered what makes some kitchens the place where party guests always congregate?
Size and style aside, a kitchen should provide comfort.
In the light of efficiency
I spent a day in the kitchen of chef Ris Lacoste in Washington DC. She and architect-builder Andrew Cassatt spent nine months creating the 220-square-feet space.
Lacoste's kitchen is a lived-in space. Efficient? Yes. Sleek? Not even close.
It is graced by the natural light from five windows and a few glass doors. But the first things you notice are the open shelves loaded with plates, pottery and glassware.
These complement the wall's colours of pale yellow, blue and grey and are illuminated by undermount lighting.
Then there's the 9-1/2-foot stretch of maple countertop Lacoste has dubbed her “appliance alley''.
Her 14-inch-deep sink and sinkboard are made of greenish-black soapstone, which she uses for food preparation but not after-dinner clean-up.
For that, she turns to a steel sink, dishwasher and fridge, which make up the butler's-pantry area.
Easy-sliding drawers are filled according to the task performed nearby. Dutch ovens and casseroles rest on lower racks below a wooden island.
The best feature seems built-in but isn't. With the tug of a handle, the lower half of a vertical pantry on castors pulls away from the wall.
It's actually a rubbish bin that can roll next to the island for easy offloading.
Warm and personal
Some would look at the kitchen and see clutter. Pots and platters exposed to the dust and grime of a daily workspace.
But the room is functional and organised. Vignettes and mementos all over the kitchen recall fond memories.
It's a pleasant place to be in. Lacoste says as soon as she installs a wood stove and a rocking chair beside it, her kitchen will be complete. To my mind, it already is.
