As the nucleus of a total living environment, this expansive kitchen is completely open to other rooms. More than a great room, this palatial combination of food preparation, dining and family entertainment combines a warm atmosphere of New England tradition with the best of casual comfort.

"This project beautifully illustrates what is happening not only in kitchen design, but in our company as well," explained Cameron Synder, CKD. "In this beautiful home, set on a seaside neck of land on the South Shore of Boston, we were asked to literally break out of the kitchen with our knowledge of design and cabinetry."

Snyder designed furniture details like adding "feet" on the kitchen cabinets and hammered copper inserts on a built-in hutch to help visually blend the kitchen and living area. He extended the fine handcrafted cabinetry with its painted details into the adjacent family room to create a media/entertainment center.Vertical speakers were designed into either side of the fireplace and cabinet doors conceal a large video monitor mounted on a pullout hydraulic swivel.

When one leaves the kitchen out the opposite side, you encounter the new formal butler's pantry, an area that provides a beautiful transition from the colors and atmosphere of the kitchen to the formal dining room.  An additional sink, dishwasher, refrigerator and plentiful storage allow for convenient entertaining in every area on this first floor.  "This project represents the culmination of my 25 years of design experience," said Snyder, "and has been a large part of the reason we have launched RoomScapes, our complete design/build firm. More and more clients want quality design concepts incorporating built-ins in home offices, bathrooms, familyroom/media centers and children's play areas. It's not just about kitchens anymore."

Signature Kitchens & Baths Awards
Gene Hester  Second Place for
"State of the Art Antiquity"

Residential Designer Gene Hester needed to serve two masters in the renovation of this charming 1800s New England village colonial. One client (the husband) wanted to maintain total authenticity and enjoyed the primitive antiquity inherant in the home's original features. The other client (the wife) knew that the tiny kitchen/pantry/bath combination on the back of the house were not going to be conducive to raising (and preparing food for) four active children. Hester's challenge was to create a cutting edge kitchen without losing any of the character of this antique home.

So Hester brought the walls down...those between the three small spaces...and created one larger living space which opens onto the diningroom for greater flexibility. The rustic brick of the home's original fireplace chimney provides the only visual divider between the two rooms while exposing an architectural element to the kitchen that adds to its colonial ambience.

State-of-the-art appliances (including a cooktop, stainless steel dishwasher and two wall ovens) are nestled among red painted country cabinetry and natural wood floors offering a solution that pleased both homeowners.

Hester designed a counter-height farm table, which has been built into the vertical beams and chimney to maximize space and offer a place for breakfast, lunch and homework. Across the room, under a long bank of windows that allow natural light to bathe the room year-round, a crafty mom finds refuge at her desk right in  the middle of all of the family's action. Here she has drawers to keep craft supplies and her ever-changing weekly calendar and from her chair she can keep an eye on children romping in the back yard.

A Sub-Zero overlay refrigerator/freezer allowed the country cabinetry look to conceal the kitchen's largest appliance and blend it seamlessly with the adjacent tall pantry closets.

Lighting fixtures over the table, as well as the desk area, were chosen to match the family's growing collection of punched tin and colonial candle holders throughout the house. This finish also tied in with the stainless ovens and dishwasher, which could have seemed too contemporary without the tin accents.

Superior design cabilities and a talent for negotiation allowed this tale of two clients to result in one very happy ending.

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