KITCHEN + BATH
MAIN COURSE IT USED TO BE THAT THE KITCHEN WAS A NECESSARY EVIL, A UTILITARIAN VEHICLE TO PRODUCE FAMILY DINNERS AND HOLIDAY MEALS. IN HOMES TODAY, THOUGH, THE KITCHEN IS THE MAIN ATTRACTION AS TRENDS TOWARD OPEN LAYOUTS POSITION THE SPACE AS THEIR STAR.
OPEN CALLS Just like an occasional argument is necessary to strengthen a relationship by creating a situation where compromise can flourish, the same is true with design. This elegant kitchen in Seattle is the perfect example of how two varying viewpoints can result in a unified vision that transcends both of the original ideas. Architects Amy Janof and Helen Hald served as mediators for a husband and wife who were after an “industrial look” and a “warm, feminine aesthetic,” respectively. “We worked very closely with them,” says Janof. “They weren’t in total agreement at the beginning of the project, but we were able to meld together what they both wanted—an industrial, raw ceiling and black-paned windows for the husband and a pretty Ochre chandelier and beautiful Calacatta marble countertops for the wife.” The result is a space at the heart of the home’s open floor plan that combines sleek, modern design with retro sensibilities to great effect.
“The kitchen was designed by thinking about how it was going to be used and how each activity was going to look while it was going on.”
Amy Janof, Janof Hald Architecture Seattle, WA