Phil Zweedyk Award & Highest Technical Merit Award

Homeowners’ Request: The homeowners, a gourmet chef and her architecturally minvded husband, wanted to accommodate plenty of entertaining, both formal and casual. Also, the kitchen felt cut off from the lushly landscaped setting right outside. It lacked adequate storage space and daily functionality, such as an eating area for casual family meals and a place to check e-mail.

Designer’s Challenge: The outdated kitchen had raised-panel, whitewashed oak cabinets and pinkish black countertops that were lackluster in appearance. An old pass-through to the outside wasn’t being used; the sliding doors were difficult to open and the countertop was too small. An awkward layout inhibited the flow of traffic and restricted the amount of usable space for food preparation.

Designer’s Solution: Roxanne Okazaki moved one wall a few feet to expand the kitchen. This relatively small adjustment opened up the entire floor plan for better traffic flow and created space for a built-in eating area. The dining nook’s round, beveled-glass table contrasts well with the dark wood seating, and is positioned to take in the scenery. Nearby is the family’s command center: desk, space for a computer, books, files and television. Teak countertops wrap around to join the dining and desk areas. Ladder-style shelves display art and the homeowners’ extensive cookbook collection.

The work triangle is a 36-inch, commercial-grade gas range, with adjacent pullouts to store oils and spices, and a fully integrated refrigerator. A large island has a sink, recycle center, dishwasher and convection steam oven. Plenty of storage space is supplied by the wall cabinets and island, and an 8.5-foot cabinet is the primary storage area for dishes and small appliances.

The pass-through problem was remedied by extending the countertop to a bar outside. The whole area was redesigned for easy access to a sink, icemaker, and wine and stemware storage. The kitchen transformation brought together elements important to the homeowners. The disconnect between the inside and outside was closed, and a new continuity between the kitchen and its Island environment was opened.