Family Matters
A stylish, contemporary kitchen bridges the generation gap
By Alice Liao

February 01, 2006 - For those who enjoy entertaining, a home with showhouse appeal and a knack for hospitality can be the ultimate must-have. But when the highly sociable owners of a chain of pharmacies decided to renovate their newly purchased, $4 million house in Livingston, NJ, their primary concern was not the comfort of their guests and friends, but that of their family members—all four generations of them. "Four generations live in this house: parents, children, grandparents and a great grandmother, who is 89," said designer Gina Ko, of Küche + Cucina, who was hired to revamp the kitchen. "With all of these women in the kitchen, it needed to be extremely functional and, above all, friendly to the older members of the family."

The 21-ft. x 22-ft. kitchen is part of a larger open plan that encompasses both the dining and living areas. It is also immediately visible from the front entrance. Consequently, Ko worked closely with the interior designer to ensure a sense of continuity with the rest of the home. Ko added, "the kitchen had to look nice from every angle." Although the house, like others in the neighborhood, is contemporary in style, the existing kitchen, said Ko, "was stuck in a 1970s look," featuring gray laminate surfaces, white walls and red accents.

The new design maintains the home's modern edge, but improves upon its predecessor with a warmer, more inviting aesthetic. Flat-panel cabinetry in a glossy finish and russet apple wood-grain pattern extends from floor to ceiling to maximize storage space and lends the space a feeling of earthy refinement. The doors are slightly contoured for added interest and laminated to save on budget. Near the cooking area, semi-transparent, textured glass inserts offset the stainless-steel finish of the ventilation hood and a tall pullout unit accessible from both sides. Below, a base drawer with a perforated aluminum front, a client request, keeps potatoes and onions within easy reach.

To enhance the atmosphere of warmth and comfortable luxury, the walls were painted a yellow-green, and a celadon glass tiles was selected for the backsplash. Mother-of-pearl squares accent the backsplash, which is underscored by a base of black subway tiles flecked with gold. The darker base counterbalances and tempers the warmth of the brown and green, while the hints of opalescence echo the metallic finishes, reinforcing visual cohesion.

To accommodate the older family members, the kitchen remodel is sensitive to their physical and visual limitations. For example, the space is devoid of sharp corners that could potentially harm someone less apt to see them, and undercabinet lighting is operable by touch sensor to provide easy access, especially at night. The earthier, more neutral color palette was chosen over an earlier scheme of burgundy tones to minimize stress on aging eyes.

On the central island, where the family gathers for breakfast and lunch, two glass counters at different heights—42 in. for the parents and children and 36 in. for the grandparents and great-grandmother—respond to the clients' request for a bar and stools while enabling the entire family to eat together. Ko noted, "There was just no way that the older people could sit on the bar-height stools." And to reduce the cross-generational friction that can arise from too many cooks hovering over one stove, the island is equipped with a waste bin, sink and a second, smaller modular cooktop, which was originally intended for use by the grandmother. "But the wife loved the island so much that she ended up taking over that area," said Ko. The grandmother did have her say, however, in the island's color, insisting on white so that smudges and spots could be easily detected and removed.

With a desk and TV to round out the range of activities for the family to engage in, the kitchen has truly become the hub of life in the home. Sleek and welcoming, it has also earned raves from friends. Ko said, "At their first party, they had to push guests into the living room because they wouldn't leave the kitchen. That's good."

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