A kitchen is at its busiest when there is a child in the household. For one Mapleton, Utah, homeowner, the kitchen needed to work for quite a few youngsters.
“My client has five little children,” said Kerri Brown of Alpine, Utah-based Design by KB. “She wanted a place where they could be with her as she cooked and worked in the kitchen, and it needed to serve as the family hub.”
Laying Out a Gathering Space
Since this was a new build home, Brown had the fortunate task of working on a blank slate with only a few issues.
“One challenge I found was the massive size of the island the client requested, so we decided to create two islands for her,” she said. “This allowed us to have a good flow in the kitchen, and each island has its own individual purpose.”
The islands have bar stools and crystal chandeliers hanging above each for additional lighting; the rest of the space is illuminated by puck lights. The work island holds the sink, dishwashers, ice maker and trash bin, while the other serves as a baking center for the busy mom’s baking needs.
“I always like to create a baking center in my kitchens if possible, complete with a pop-up mixer, big and small drawers, cookie sheet area and staple baking ingredients such as flour and sugar,” said Brown. “It helps for the client to have everything in one place.”
Connecting the Home
When all the children are not in sight, the ELAN Entertainment & Control System helps their parents keep an eye on them. The system was integrated into the kitchen and allows the homeowner to monitor her children from a video feed if they are in another room. The system also allows complete control of the lights, in-ceiling speakers and security systems from a sleek in-wall touch panel or mobile device.
“What’s great about the system is that it blends seamlessly with the design and combines all of the kitchen’s functions without a single cord in sight,” said the designer. “I didn’t have to worry about light switches or thermostats during the design process.”
Mom’s Touches
One of the homeowner’s main requirements was for a kitchen that includes sparkle and color to reflect her tastes. Color in the kitchen does not need to be bold to make a statement; in this case, Brown juxtaposed subtle teal with dark wood.
“We had several points of inspiration,” she explained. “The client had seen a previous home by the builder with a beautiful dark wood barrel ceiling, for one.”
The rustic ceiling not only reflects the mountains outside but also contrasts with the white quartz countertops and the white paneling and cabinetry. All of the appliances – such as the microwave, toaster, fridge, dishwasher and ice maker – were disguised by either placing them in an appliance garage or giving them white wooden fronts to blend in with the rest of the design. The island cabinets, which are a soft teal, offer a break from the white palette.
“The teal color on the islands’ cabinets was definitely a bit difficult to get just right, but the end result came out beautifully,” added Brown.
The white and silver hood and tile over the range tie into the rest of the glittery and silver finishes in the kitchen, like the countertops. The hood was custom painted in Italy, and the silver and white tile offers plenty of sophisticated sparkle.
“I love how this kitchen came together,” said the designer. “It is so functional for a large family and is a really great gathering place.”
