The Disappearing Kitchen - SouthernAccents.com

by Jill Kirchner Simpson
Produced by Nancy Staab
Photos by Lisa Adams

The Disappearing Kitchen

Second in our series of 'kitchens that cook': The latest kitchens are nearly invisible, designed as extensions of a room in apartments, master suites, or guesthouses

How do you make a kitchen not look like a kitchen? That was the question that confronted architect Ken Pursley when he was asked to design such a space in the former exterior sunporch of a 1925 neo-Georgian house (converted into condominiums) in Charlotte. Owner Brian Speas, a bachelor, rarely cooks (he eats out and has a cook come in weekly to prepare meals to be heated up), and he also works in the 1,700-square-foot condo, so space had to be used efficiently. "He wanted the kitchen to be in keeping with the classical lines and period styling of the house," says Pursley. "The question became how to create a kitchen that is open to adjoining interiors but doesn't feel too utilitarian. The whole exercise was one of sleight of hand: Conceal everything that lets you know it's a kitchen as much as possible." Classically detailed cabinetry, appliances hidden behind cabinet fronts, and gracious antiques create a room that feels more like a handsome library than a quotidian kitchen.

WHY WE LOVE THIS KITCHEN

· Bold, rich color.

· Its seamless integration with a furnished room.

· Efficient, streamlined design executed in a classical idiom.

· Clever adaptation of a sunporch into a space that serves multiple functions -- cooking, dining, reading.

· Cabinetry with the elegance of fine furniture.

· Ingenious space-saving and concealed features.

· Views of the outdoors and terrace framed by elegant doorways and windows.

· A large-scale landscape painting, which adds panache to the room.

The Transformation
Originally an exterior sunporch, the 10-by-21-foot room had been converted into a basic L-shaped kitchen by the previous owner. The unusual 12-foot-high curved ceiling, Palladian doors, and windows are all original to the house. A wall of elegant cabinetry, painted a rich red, conceals as much of the kitchen appurtenances as possible while contributing to the library feel. A generous table can be pulled away from the wall, if desired, and the leather wing chairs and stools pulled in for dining.

Architectural Elements
· Cabinetry designed by Pursley and custom-built by Goodman Millwork Company in Salisbury, North Carolina, is crafted with raised-panel doors, deep crown moldings, and details such as turned and tapered legs. "The whole thing was a game of inches," says Pursley. "The refrigerator door misses the cabinet leg by half an inch, so you must have excellent craftsmanship -- intricate details such as these can only be done by hand. That's the deceiving thing about small spaces -- everything has to be perfect."
· Instead of the typical recessed toe kick -- the panel at the base of the cabinet -- which would contradict the furnished feel, the architect designed a projected toe kick with base molding to stay within the classical language.
· The cabinets and walls are painted in Farrow & Ball's aptly named Reading Room Red, then aged with a black glaze.
· Besides the refrigerator and pantry cabinets, there are no upper cabinets, leaving room for eye-catching art -- in this case, a landscape painting by Chas Fagan.
· Sisal covering on the floors works for this part-time kitchen, making the room feel less utilitarian and more like a living space.

Special Features
· Pursley chose appliances that could be truly concealed, with no visible hinges or vents. The Sub-Zero 700 Series refrigerator, here with two freezer drawers, fits the bill. It was partially recessed into the wall, which helps make its mass less intimidating. A pantry cabinet and microwave at the other end of the wall provides a vertical bookend to the refrigerator.
· The Gaggenau oven is concealed behind cabinet doors that recess to the sides, with a Viking cooktop set into the counter above. The Bosch dishwasher, a trash pull-out, and a flat-panel television are all camouflaged behind cabinet fronts. (Pursley designed the dishwasher front to look like two drawers, for visual variety.)
· Counters of Sarrancolin marble are luxurious yet blend in well with the red cabinetry. A custom edge detail on the marble, crafted by The Marble & Stone Shop, provides a softer transition in a compact space.

ARCHITECT KEN PURSLEY'S KITCHEN WISDOM

· Cabinets should be informed by the architecture of the house and should be as diverse as the projects themselves.

· When choosing colors for a kitchen, begin with the elements that are known. An old beam or a stone countertop can be a great starting point for color selections. This approach helps create a cohesive aesthetic.

· I find many "special appliances" to be an architect's worst nightmare: Over time they tend to fall victim to the next trend, and their integration into the kitchen design can upset an otherwise beautiful plan.

· I like to mix countertop materials, for example, Calcutta Gold marble on an island and stainless steel or copper on the side cabinets.

· For floors, I sometimes use an exterior material in the kitchen, particularly if it lies directly off a terrace. Random ashlar bluestone in brown/green tones works well. The kitchen begins to feel more akin to the garden than the house.

· In larger kitchens, you can still conceal the more utilitarian aspects by creating a good front stage/backstage relationship. Front stage accommodates the theater of the kitchen -- cooking, conversation, cocktails, and serving food. The backstage should accommodate the necessities of the kitchen -- storage and cleanup.

· One of the biggest mistakes people make during a kitchen renovation is trying to live in the house during the renovation. If at all possible, move out. Another mistake: getting impatient and starting construction before all design aspects, including cost, have been thoroughly considered.

RESOURCES: Architecture by Ken Pursley, Pursley Architecture, 704/334-6500, pursleyarchitecture.com; millwork by Goodman Millwork Company, 704/633-2421, goodmanmillwork.com; landscape painting by Chas Fagan, 980/321-0532, chasfagan.com; paint, Reading Room Red, by Farrow & Ball, farrowball.com; 700 series refrigerator by Sub-Zero, 800/222-7820, subzero.com; oven by Gaggenau, 800/828-9165, gaggenau.com; cooktop by Viking, 888/845-4641, vikingrange.com; dishwasher by Bosch, 800/921-9622, boschappliances.com; leather chairs from Restoration Hardware, restorationhardware.com; custom countertop detail by The Marble & Stone Shop, 704/376-2254, marbleandstoneshop.com.

( http://southernaccents.com/accents/homes/architecture/article/0,14743,1171458,00.html )