Make more from less – that was the essence of the challenge to Laura Casale, AIA founder of Manhasset, N.Y.-based Laura Casale Architect, when she took on this remodeling of a vintage home. The 1920s house had a compact footprint and a fragmented, floor plan that were definitely not suited to the clients’ family-oriented lifestyle.
With three boys under the age of six and frequent hosts of extended-family gatherings, it was critical to the homeowners to have an open kitchen that felt spacious and was well-appointed. “As a woman, mother, grandmother and architect, I intimately understand how important it is to have the whole family together in the kitchen,” said Casale. “I was dedicated to giving them that.”
The objective was how to check off everything the client wanted, while making sure that the kitchen was in scale with the home. To achieve this, the architect knew she had to consider every facet of the proposed kitchen to get it right.
Collaboration is Key
Casale stresses to all her clients that to have the best project outcome, the interior design needs to be considered in conjunction with the architecture. “For this particular kitchen, we had to be very careful to maximize every inch; that diligence extended from the architectural choices to the size of the chairs and dining table,” she said. “By working in close collaboration with Barbara Lewis of The Lewis Design Group, we were able to integrate the furnishings with the architecture. The result is a kitchen that looks beautiful, and functions seamlessly for this young family.”
Color Component
Lewis, whose design studios are located in Long Island, Connecticut and Florida, brought her expertise to other parts of the project as well. The butler’s pantry was an opportunity to make a statement with color.
Because the primary hue in the family room is green, the decision was made to continue that color into the pantry. “We made it more interesting by bringing in a green stone for the counter and backsplash,” said Lewis. “It’s such a refreshing departure from the standard Calacatta or Carrera.”
The pantry cabinets are painted in Benjamin Moore’s resonant Essex Green. Their lacquer finish dials up the drama of the color and echoes the shine of the polished stone.
Lewis, too, recognizes the value of collaboration. “It was pure joy working with this client because she instinctually appreciated the value of bold color in design. Sometimes homeowners can be nervous about going all-in with a strong hue, but she didn’t need any convincing. It was a real highlight to work with both a client and architect who are all on the same page. We just get each other!”
