She knew it would be perfect for the three growing boys of the house and every member of a large extended family.
On a hilltop cul-de-sac in Short Hills, Essex County — just a few blocks from where the family had lived for 10 years, and within walking distance to the train to New York City — the 6,500 square foot English-style cottage had lots of light, good flow, a mother-in-law suite, and a kitchen with a great layout.
All that was left to make the final choices: Piant, Counters, amenities, luxuries — the fun stuff.
Colors of Colorado
The homeowners worked with kitchen designer Jeff Kennedy, Certified Kitchen Designer, and Becky Wallwey, Associate Kitchen and Bath Designer, of Sawhorse Designs in Millburn to choose a rustic palette that reminded them of Colorado, a favorite vacation spot: stone wood metal and glass in hues of sand, bark, sage, cloud, and oil-rubbed bronze, with some stainless steel appliances as accents. The builders were Chris Geissler and Ozzy Yaseen of Short Hills.
The wife requested pale green Waterfall granite she had seen in another home; three substantial slabs arrived and were installed on a center island and peninsula counter that had been lengthened, stove-side cabinets, and a butler's cabinet in the corner nearest an archway to the dining room.
Some of the maple cabinets — glazed and distressed in a sandy shade near the oak floor and stained darker on the wall — feature leaded glass inserts.
A Marie Antoinette-style vent hood of hand-cast Scagliola stone mounted over the range draws attention to the counter and backsplash of Bottaccino diagonal tile surrounding a checkerboard mosaic.
Light reflects off of the stainless steel range and the double-drawer dishwasher in the peninsula. Brushed nickel hardware glints on the three kitchen sinks, including a porcelain farm sink. Cabinet door and drawer pulls are in the same oil-rubbed bronze as the bubble-glass lanterns hanging over the island and the posts ascending the staircase.
All in all, the effect of flow through materials and colors is pleasing, easy on the eyes, and comfortable.
All in the family
With three boys and a lot of family visiting, the wife wanted to be sure the kitchen has everything she needs (and nothing more).
The extended island gives party guests who congregate in the kitchen a place to put down their drinks. More importantly she has a big spread when she prepares for Taco Night and the other seemingly endless short-order cooking she does. (She had to have the griddle top on the range, too, for the same reason.)
The extra two feet also made room in the island for a dishwasher drawer to handle the seemingly endless supply of glasses the family goes through daily. The island also contains a warming drawer with timer to hold meals that get missed because of extracurricular activities. Unlike plenty of kitchen islands, this one holds no extra stovetop — one is enough when there are kids around, the mother says.
The there's the butler's pantry, or more accurately the butler's corner cabinet, near the archway into a dining room that seats 12 to 14. The butler's cabinet is a beverage center, with a built-in wine cooler and a coffee maker that also steams milk and boils water. The stained and glazed maple cabinets store dishes, and the small sink is nothing short of perfection.
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