St. Charles of New York Design

Romancing The Kitchen

Karen Williams and Robert Schwartz
St. Charles of New York
A boutique design firm serving America's finest homes for three generations.

Architects & Designers Building
150 East 58th St.
New York, NY
212-838-2812


Romancing the Kitchen at Kips Bay
The Passionate Heart of the Home

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.

Dining Area_left

Dining Area right

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.

St. Charles Kitchen overall

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
Fry Communications
leslie@fry-comm.com

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Sources

Kitchen

KITCHEN DESIGN
Robert Schwartz, Principal
Karen Williams, Principal

CUSTOM CABINETRY & MILLWORK
St. Charles of New York

DECORATING & ACCESSORIES
Peter Balsam & Jayne Goldstein
for Peter S. Balsam Associates

APPLIANCES
Electrolux

ISLAND COOKING CENTER
Molteni
Electrolux Professional North Anerica

GLASS COUNTERTOPS/BACKSPLASH
Galaxy Glass & Stone

FLOOR
Studium

FAUCET
Dornbracht, USA Inc.

TIN CEILING
AA-Abbingdon Affiliates

CEILING LIGHTS
Vaughn Designs, Inc.

ELECTRICAL
Vilanova Electric

PAINTING & DECORATIVE FINISHES
Stuart—Creal Studio
Toni Burke

50" PLASMA TV, DVD PLAYER &
DIGITAL LED LIGHTING
Philips Electronics North America

FABRICS
Lee Jofa

DINING ROOM TABLE
The Geoffrey Bradfield Collection

DINING ROOM CHAIRS & SETTEE
Lewis Mittman

CHANDELIER & SCONCES
Marvin Alexander

LEATHER SIDE CHAIR
Lorin Marsh

PLANTS
Richard Salome Flowers

TABLE SETTINGS/CHINA
Bernardaud Manufacture de Limoges

SIDEBOARD
Julia Gray

PAIR OF STANDING LAMPS & MIRROR
Niedermaier

WINDOW TREATMENT
Innovative Touch in Design

 

Dining Room


Decorated by
Peter Balsam and Jayne Goldstein
Peter S. Balsam and Associates

MANGEAISE SETTEE & THROW PILLOWS,
LOUIS XVI DINING CHAIRS
Lewis Mittman

MEDICI DINING TABLE BASE
The Geoffrey Bradfield Collection

FABRICS
Lee Jofa

ALL TRIMS
Samuel & Sons Passementerie

DINING CHANDELIER & SCONCES
Marvin Alexander

WINSLOW SQUARE LANTERNS
Vaughan Designs, Inc.

DIEGO FLOOR LAMPS, MIRROR
Niedermaier

WINDOW TREATMENTS
Innovative Touch in Design

MIRRORED CONSOLE TABLE
Julia Gray

ANTIQUE LEATHER CHAIR
Lorin Marsh

TABLE SETTINGS
Bernardaud Manufacture de Limoges

FLORIST
Richard Salome Flowers

ANTIQUE WICKER TABLES
Burke's Antiques

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