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Photography by Alise O’Brien
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Building a house calls for gazillions of decisions, but when the kitchen came up, these overwhelmed homeowners in West County simply breezed through. Then they lived in the house and realized, whoops, it didn’t exactly fit their needs. So they recently gave it a second try.
They summoned designer Chris Berry, ASID, of brooksBerry & Associates and began an overhaul. “The first thing we did was flip the arrangement,” Berry says, pointing out that the homeowner no longer wanted the sink under the window. The designer also added a trio of soffits delineated by arches. (Not seen in the picture: a dog bed stashed on the floor, beneath the middle arch.)
Berry turned the wall dividing the kitchen and dining room into a pass-through, relocating the ovens and stovetop there as well. Then she divided the rest of the kitchen into a series of zones determined by type of food preparation.
“We have never done a kitchen that has been arranged by meal,” Berry says. “You end up back here [at the breakfast bar] in the evening to get your booze. You just keep going around the kitchen.”
BY THE ZONE
Zone 1: Breakfast
The homeowners start the day here, with the coffee maker out and ready for action. Also in this corner:
• Two dishwasher drawers
• Drawers for silverware and tea towels
• A drawer for cereal
• A vessel sink, an unexpected take on the bar sink
• A small TV for entertainment
Zone 2: Lunch
At the end of the bar, the homeowners can easily make lunch. This zone’s amenities include: • A bread drawer and cutting boards • Plate storage • A two-sided farmhouse sink with dual faucets • A knife drawer and pullout trash drawers • Two more dishwasher drawers
Zone 3: Dinner
The designer opened the wall to make a pass-through and added in the ovens. The area includes: • A Wolf convection oven and warming drawer • Storage for racks, lids, a thermometer, mitts, etc. • Storage for casserole dishes, pots, and pans • A pot-filler faucet • A four-burner gas stovetop with a griddle and a pop-up downdraft ventilation system
Zone 4: Desserts
The corner is the perfect spot for all the baking, with: • A Sunbeam Mixmaster, flour, and sugar left out • A drawer for measuring cups, spoons, and additional ingredients • A drawer for bakeware
Zone 5: Cocktails
The day is over and it’s time for…wine. This area has: • A two-row wine rack in the top of the small island refrigerator • A drawer for liquor
KITCHEN DOs & DON'Ts
Chris Berry of brooksBerry & Associates has a number of suggestions and cautionary notes for creating a great kitchen.
1. Don’t place your sink so your back faces the guests.
2. Do add a small chef’s stool so you can sit while you chop those veggies.
3. If you want a fresh look that isn’t too kitcheny, delete the upper cabinets.
4. If you don’t want to wait while someone uses the faucet, add a second one.
5. Display your favorite pots and pans in a kitchen rack, like the one above by Enclume, sold at Williams-Sonoma.
6. Install a large TV for family and friends dining at the island, plus a small TV for the chef.
7. Add glass shelves (like those pictured, made by Newport Brass) to work double duty for storage and hanging tea towels.
