When called upon by her neighbors to renovate their kitchen, designer Sharon L Sherman, founder and owner of Wyckoff, N.J.-based Thyme and Place Design, was excited by the prospect. She had often noted the kitchen’s quirks and was confident she could bring better functionality and a modern aesthetic to the space, which had last been updated in the 1980s.
The clients had just a few specific goals, one of which drove the project – the kitchen needed to be kosher. That meant including two of some appliances, as well as storage for double the dishware, cookware and other kitchen items. As far as new requests, the couple wanted to add a coffee/wine bar and storage for Passover dishes and cookware, which had been kept in another room for lack of space.
Making everything possible within the limited footprint available required rethinking the layout above and below, and while Sherman had previously designed kosher kitchens, she had not tackled one for many years.
“The entire way kitchens are designed – even kosher ones – is different since the 1980s,” said the designer. “There are so many more conveniences and advancements in products that just were not out there years ago.”
Challenge #1 – Unlocking the Entry
Although the kitchen boasted a soaring vaulted ceiling, the entrance from the dining room had a dropped ceiling that “stifled the kitchen,” according to Sherman. The small entry led to a wall dominated by the refrigerator, making the space feel even more cramped.
The designer decided to remove the return wall enclosing the refrigerator nook, raise the ceiling and relocate the refrigerator, but some of the beams above were sagging. Her contractor re-anchored the ceiling joists, making it possible to eliminate the wall, which had only been supporting the drop ceiling. The small doorway was moved down the newly free wall to further integrate the space. These changes opened the kitchen vertically and made the designer’s planned layout changes possible.
“By reframing part of the ceiling when shifting the doorway, we reclaimed the vaulted ceiling’s beauty,” said Sherman.
Challenge #2 – Creating Cohesion
The designer knew she wanted to relocate the refrigerator, and she had to find a place for the coffee/wine bar. After moving the doorway and taking over about 12 inches from an oversized hall closet behind the kitchen, she gained enough space to accommodate these changes. A built-in desk opposite the original dining room entry was also removed to make room for a pantry.
Another vital change took place along a different wall. The kitchen had a small window above the sink, and Sherman had better ideas for the area. Her suggestion to close the window required some convincing, but she explained to her clients that the view of the neighbor’s garage was not worth it, especially when the kitchen also featured sliding glass doors with windows above for natural light.
“Removing the window was a big step for them,” said Sherman. “Once that happened, the whole kitchen changed.”
The wall became a true focal point with a cooktop, hood and marble backsplash. The sink is now more conveniently located on the new island. Rethinking the way the perimeter was organized created cleaner lines and transformed the kitchen from choppy to cohesive.
Challenge #3 – Keeping it Kosher
The improved organization, better function and space gains were all needed because Sherman had to incorporate two of almost everything into this newly streamlined kitchen. To meet the requirements of a kosher space, it has two dishwashers, two sinks and two trash cabinets, as well as a cooktop, main oven, steam oven, refrigerator and wine refrigerator.
In keeping with kosher dietary restrictions, the kitchen also needed dedicated storage for meat and dairy pots, dishes, utensils and flatware. The island now contains everything needed to prepare and serve dairy dishes, while the perimeter serves as the meat area.
To create enough storage for two of everything, Sherman installed a pantry in the former desk space and added a wall of shallow cabinetry at 108 inches tall for serving pieces and decorative items used regularly for ceremony. This also enabled the homeowners to move the Passover items previously stored in their basement to the pantry.
“Meeting these requirements can be quite a challenge, but it’s one I accepted with coaching from my client,” said the designer. “Any well-planned space can accommodate any lifestyle.”
For designers tasked with planning a kosher kitchen – even those with experience doing so – Sherman recommends staying in communication with the client.
“I was up front with them and asked to be reminded how the laws for the kitchen needed to be respected,” she said. “Working with the clients to understand what I could and could not do was a team effort.”
SOURCES
DESIGNER: Sharon L Sherman, ASID CKD CID, Founder & Owner, Thyme and Place Design
PHOTOGRAPHER: Mike Van Tassell
BACKSPLASHES: Adko & White Thasos Marble; BAR STOOLS: Charleston Forge; COUNTERTOPS: Stone by Vincenzio; CABINET HARDWARE: Tob Knobs; CABINETS: The Corsi Group; CLOSET ORGANIZATION: The Container Store; COOKTOP & OVENS: Wolf; DISHWASHERS: Miele; FAUCETS: Brizo; FLOORING: TORLEYS; HOOD: Zephyr; LIGHTING: Hammerton Studio; MICROWAVE: GE; PAINT: Benjamin Moore; SINKS: Franke; WINE REFRIGERATOR: U-Line
