The Intimate Kitchen
For the better part of 30 years America has been obsessed with bigger kitchens with big islands. If you have the room, why not? What if you don’t have room? Assuming you know how you are going to use the kitchen, have you thought about how you are going to enjoy the kitchen?
Large, medium, or small kitchen it’s going to cost you some serious coin to upgrade it. One of the first things I ask a client during our first meeting (always at their home) is the following questions: How do you want the kitchen to perform? The question that often generates a perplexed look is how do you plan to enjoy the space?
If after dropping mid 5 figures or more in a new kitchen and all you can do is prepare 3 meals a day while standing was it worth it? I say no. I want you to enjoy the space. Make that your go-to room for me time.
Assume I can talk you out of an 18′ long hip busting island you can park a car on!
I/we can create an intimate space somewhere in that room where you can sit and enjoy a quiet cup of coffee or glass of wine while reading. Or even a quiet, long overdue conversation with a friend, neighbor or dare I say, spouse you will enjoy the space that much more. A place where you can connect with the world or tune it all out.
In my humble opinion tables are more intimate than islands. That’s not to say I don’t like kitchen islands and all the life improving benefits they provide. However, kitchen islands tend to be sterile. Assume I can talk you out of an 18′ long hip busting island you can park a car on. Especially when two people are trying to enjoy a meal, cup of coffee or glass of wine and they are sitting shoulder to shoulder in a straight line. It’s not always possible to put an island in a kitchen space with two seats at least 90 degrees from each other. In those cases, I try to design the island with an arc or curve in the sitting area.
Written By Jeff Kida, CR – DDS Design Services LLC
Published 5-12-2023
