Kitchen Refresh: "Showcase Kitchen"
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| The following is a transcript from an article feature in Decor & Style Magazine, June 1999 The kitchen, as in many homes, is where Gilda (client) and her guests spend informal gathering time. The client loved the layout of the kitchen as well as the contemporary styling. |
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However she had grown somewhat tired of the bland character of the space. She decided against major permanent changes and proceeded with "freshening up" the kitchen's look and feel. |
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The stove, refrigerator and kitchen sink are new, but replacement of the oven and dishwasher would be considered. One of Gilda's favorite features of this room is the large open window area above the sink. The papermache "cow" sculpture has always been a major part of the kitchen environment for the family and it holds special memories. The client desired to incorporate it into the new design if possible. |
To dress up existing high-end, Siematic cabinetry, free-form shapes were cut into black cabinet doors. Glass artist Leslie Perlis created art glass insets, combining clear and textured glass for dazzling effects.
Designers faux-finished cabinet interiors grey tones to camouflage white melamine. In the butler's pantry, they installed stainless steel wire mesh behind glass cabinet doors. The mesh is from Switzerland and is available in several types of weaves. It has a soft fabric quality to it.
New stainless steel appliances include a U-Line, under the counter refrigerator in the butler's pantry and Fisher & Paykel dishwasher drawers in the kitchen. "These are the hottest things on the market," Tapp says of the dishwasher drawers, which can wash dishes at temperatures five degrees hotter than Bosch. "You can set temperatures seperately, so you can actually wash crystal in one drawer and pots and pans in the other," she adds.
In addition to the "Holy Cow" sculpture by Mark Beam, the space displays animal artwork by Miro and Peter Max. Designers also included accessories from Eastwinds and the homeowner's Lalique and Baccarat crystal collection.
