“Freshly baked bread cooling on the countertop, music playing softly throughout the home, teenagers seated at the kitchen island studying for the next algebra or college entrance exam, and a delicious Coq au vin in the oven–THIS is the home our client loves and has created for her family.” — Smith & Ragsdale
A well-designed kitchen can take a client to a place that she longs for by creating an atmosphere that speaks to her deep-seated desires. When our client and her family moved into the home several years ago, the kitchen had recently been updated. While it seemed okay on the surface–your typical white kitchen with marble countertops and subway tile backsplash–our client quickly realized that the kitchen did not suit her family’s needs functionally, and it simply made her unhappy. She longed for a kitchen that was truly inspired by things her family loves—travel (specifically France where she and her family have spent many happy vacations), art, family heirlooms, and a lot of natural light. Our client requested that the kitchen be comfortable, classic, elegant, and beautiful, but not trendy; she wanted it to be clean, understated, and creative, but not bohemian. We took all these descriptors into account when designing the space and choosing the finishes. We set out to create an environment that speaks to the client’s soul while not overly personalizing the design in a way that’s obvious. The design must be timeless and feel relevant today as well as ten years from now.
Being a serious cook and a baker made it even more important to transform the kitchen to suit her personal cooking style. From the inception of the project she voiced her dislike for cooking in her existing kitchen. The floor plan and the execution of the existing kitchen was not designed with function in mind, even though it provided plenty of storage and countertop space. The kitchen is our client’s and her daughter’s domain as they frequently cook and bake alongside each other. She requested separate zones for baking and cooking for ease of cleaning and to make time together more efficient and enjoyable.
