try this at home
Carol has designed kitchens fo r years.
But when making decisions fo r her own
kitchen space, she was overwhelmed—
like many o f her clients— by all the
options. Here are a few o f her tips and
tricks fo r getting it right.
Remember that n o th in g should be
to o sacred in y o u r kitch e n . “ If you
decide to put in stainless or marble,
you have to let go. It’s going to get
nicked, scratched, and stained. But
once you get past the first
imperfection, you can start looking
forw ard to the real patina, which is
beautiful,” she says.
C reate nooks and crannies fo r
storage. Built-ins alongside the
banquette create storage fo r breakfast
dishes,
above right.
An electrical outlet
allows fo r a small television to be
tucked away instead o f occupying
valuable counter space. Next to the
stove is a storage cubby fo r a blender,
page
61
,
one o f the most awkward
appliances to store and retrieve.
M ix in d u s tria l elem ents w ith
tra d itio n a l design. The lights above
the island,
below left,
are quite
contemporary, and special filament
bulbs boost the industrial look provided
by the unusually large aluminum sink
and modern faucet,
below far right
.
If your kitchen is all white, try making a
few o f your cabinets glass-front,
opposite.
That way, you can add
p e rs o n a lity and c o lo r on th e sh e lf
spaces. “ I went so far as to choose a
glass-front refrigerator,” says Carol. “ I
love it. It’s always a mess. We aren’t
styling our refrigerator w ith Perrier
bottles. But it adds so much character
to the kitchen, I think.”
O p t fo r d ra w e rs instead o f
ca b in e try b e low th e counters. It’s
easier to keep your pots, pans, and
dishes organized and within reach.
