Romancing The Kitchen Karen Williams and Robert Schwartz Architects & Designers Building |
Romancing the Kitchen at Kips Bay By Leslie Hart Walking up the grand staircase of the 110-year-old neo-French Renaissance townhouse into a kitchen larger than many Manhattan studio apartments, designers Robert Schwartz and Karen Williams of St. Charles of New York were struck by the room’s stately proportions and the commanding view of historic Beaux Arts buildings from three tall windows. The setting evoked their fondness for life in European cities where the joys of great food, wine and entertaining are celebrated on a daily basis. So the designers set about “Romancing the Kitchen,” creating a room that is the passionate heart of the Kips Bay 2006 Decorator Show House. “We treated the space as a room with furniture and art, where you just happen to also cook,” explained Robert Schwartz, principal of the design firm. “The classical yet softly contemporary kitchen has an ageless quality, much like a fine Chanel suit that is always in style,” noted Karen Williams, also a principal at St. Charles of New York. Setting the tone is the two-tiered walnut cabinetry that provides space for showcasing artwork throughout the room, and mixes handsomely with unusual stainless steel five-panel cabinet doors at the refrigerator center. Crystal knobs contribute a bit of bling. The crisp white countertops crafted from impervious milk glass surfacing contrast with the darker cabinet finish. The materials up the backsplash and shines through open shelving above the custom stainless steel apron sink. The milk glass also runs behind the open shelving next to the wine refrigerators. Because the space is large (600 sq. ft.), the mosaic flooring with elaborate inlays and rosettes creates “area rugs” that help define the zones. The room is topped off with a majestic ceiling of patterned satin brass with oversized coves. |
The Dining Room, decorated by Peter Balsam and Jayne Goldstein, Peter S. Balsam and Associates
The eclectically furnished entertainment area, decorated by Peter Balsam and Jayne Goldstein, Peter S. Balsam and Associates, is highlighted by a seductive red settee, curvaceous Louis XIV chairs at a plexiglass dining table, and an antique mirrored console table…all worthy of a swank Continental lounge. Dinner theater could begin with a performance by the chef who takes center stage at the lipstick red Molteni by Electrolux cooking island. All Molteni islands are custom designed, one-of-kind pieces. This one incorporates refrigerator drawers, two sinks, a griddle, and two cooking units, one for a wok. |
Kitchen complete with Molteni Island Cooking Center
Because they are knowledgeable cooks and wine enthusiasts, Schwartz and Williams paid particular attention to the appliances, selecting new restaurant-style models from Electrolux ICON. “As a busy working Mom, I especially appreciate the speed oven that combines microwave and convection for fast baking, browning and roasting..with no preheating. And I love the fact that the wall oven is always cool to the touch when in use,” Williams commented. The dual-fuel range, unlike some European models, has a self-cleaning oven. And anyone who entertains a lot will appreciate the “elevator” shelf in the refrigerator that adjusts up or down even while fully loaded. As someone with a serious wine collection himself, Schwartz placed two wine cellar units side-by-side, opening French door style, conveniently near the entertainment area. “The cellars are designed for long term storage and have no compressors so that they are vibration free,” Schwartz pointed out. In keeping with the romantic feel of a room with furniture and art, the designers opted for a Venetian mercury glass chandelier and matching wall sconces, along with nickel lanterns, rather than using any conventional kitchen lighting. Leslie Hart |
Sources Kitchen KITCHEN DESIGN CUSTOM CABINETRY & MILLWORK DECORATING & ACCESSORIES APPLIANCES ISLAND COOKING CENTER GLASS COUNTERTOPS/BACKSPLASH FLOOR FAUCET TIN CEILING CEILING LIGHTS ELECTRICAL PAINTING & DECORATIVE FINISHES 50" PLASMA TV, DVD PLAYER & FABRICS DINING ROOM TABLE DINING ROOM CHAIRS & SETTEE CHANDELIER & SCONCES LEATHER SIDE CHAIR PLANTS TABLE SETTINGS/CHINA SIDEBOARD PAIR OF STANDING LAMPS & MIRROR WINDOW TREATMENT
Dining Room
MANGEAISE SETTEE & THROW PILLOWS, MEDICI DINING TABLE BASE FABRICS ALL TRIMS DINING CHANDELIER & SCONCES WINSLOW SQUARE LANTERNS DIEGO FLOOR LAMPS, MIRROR WINDOW TREATMENTS MIRRORED CONSOLE TABLE ANTIQUE LEATHER CHAIR TABLE SETTINGS FLORIST ANTIQUE WICKER TABLES |
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