Gabled Oaks Kitchen
There is only one thing I enjoy more than cooking and eating fine food, and that is designing a great kitchen.   Since the beginning of time life has revolved around the place where meals were prepared.   Warmth and pleasant conversations are found where food is being cooked; and if you visit this area at the right time of the day there is a good chance of getting to sample something before dinner is served.    The family seems to come together here, more than in any other part of the house.   Keeping this in mind I have always taken special care in kitchen layouts.  State of the art innovations are always incorporated in my designs.  First there must be an inter-com to all areas of the house,  second a complete music control system, and certainly for the lady of the house, a television set to keep up with the daily news and the "soaps."   The TV set is also equipped with a cassette player for movies or instructional cooking tapes.  

Visitors entering this home are fully visible from the windows shown here as they cross the  garden to the front door.  There is also the a wash of sunlight coming in which adds a certain warmth to the area.

This is a dream kitchen by any standards.  There is an abundance of counter space.   In front of the windows is a work-top, for the preparation of pastries and breads.   Mixers and other equipment are conveniently stored in the cabinets below and they    can be elevated up and into place when needed.   Overhead lighting is color-  corrected fluorescent,  providing excellent illumination.   This type of light shows all the prepared food in it's true color and will help the cook in the decorative preparation of gourmet dishes.   Air-conditioning is allowed to flow through the ceiling lighting grids. This system of air distribution provides uniform temperature control over the entire area.  The cooking range is equipped with an under-floor vent system. A mechanical air intake to the exhaust system rises up from the cooking unit when the burners are turned on.  Two separate sinks provide easy access from anywhere in the kitchen and for any size job.   Located in the island is a small vegetable sink while in the foreground is the main sink.   The large sink is for general cleanup as well as a second work area when more help is required for meal preparation.  Two dishwashers are available to expedite cleanup under any condition.  Counter tops are all made of a rare red granite and run throughout the kitchen and butlers' pantry. There is a one-inch glass divider set into the granite at the sink to protect the adjoining desk top.

Breakfast  Area

In the the kitchen all interior walls, where possible, have been eliminated.  Spaces flow into each other.  From the work area there is an unobstructed view of the family at the table.

Shown in this picture, behind the breakfast table, is a small  desk with a cook-book library.  Here is where all the menu planning can be done and files are kept. The communication center to the rest of the house is located here also.  Phone calls during meals can also be answered without undue interruption.

From the work areas of the kitchen the breakfast table is easily accessible.   This may be called the "breakfast area"  but it is used more than any other place in the house.   Every large home has a dedicated dining room but this room is seldom used for family dining.   In most homes the breakfast table becomes the main meeting place for the household. With this in mind special attention in design should be considered.  Silverware, table cloths and dishes are conveniently stored  next to the table.  Many different dish patterns can be made available and the table settings can  reflect the seasons of the year, or the mood of the day.    Cherry-wood flooring begins at the front entry and runs continuous throughout the lower floors of the residence.  The wood has a beautiful pattern and color.  Complementary colors found in the flooring are picked up in the cabinets and the surrounding materials.  The beams and trim are finished in a soft hand rubbed lacquer with a semi-gloss surface.  All exposed areas below the wall cabinets are covered with bronze mirrors and the visible walls are also mirrored. As you can see the materials of the exterior are also carried into this area and they blend perfectly with the decor of the interiors.

Butlers Pantry
The term butlers pantry has the connotation of an era when maids and butlers were the fashion in large estates.  In this case it is merely the name for an area that should never be left out of any large home.
Next to the dining room is the proper place for the butlers pantry.  This location makes it convenient  for service during meals.  Salads are prepared here in advance of a dinner party and are stored in a special refrigerator used for that purpose only.  Wine is also chilled to temperature in a wine cooler.  Ample space is provided for the storage of crystal glasses in cabinets with glass sliding doors.  With the ability to easily see the glasses,  their selection for place settings at the table is made easier.  A small sink serves a dual purpose.    It can be used  for preparing flower arrangements before dinner.  After the meal the crystal glasses can be cleaned here.    A special wood countertop is placed next to the sink so that no glass comes into contact with a hard surface.

Here you can see the effect of the bronze mirrors under the cabinets.
The cabinets appear  to float without support and the, butlers pantry, which is a rather small                                 area seems to gains an extra dimension.

                                                     
photo by Don Roban

photography requiring special lighting
was provided by Dick Dickenson.