12 August 2014 QR ForResidentialPros.com
PROJECTS: Master Design Solutions | By Allen Barry
I
n most homes, the kitchen
is much more than a
place for food storage and
preparation. It's a gathering
place, entertaining space
and a nexus for the entire house.
The kitchen is just where people
naturally come together.
One family in Austin, Texas,
sought to take this concept
to the next level. Their exist-
ing kitchen, although large in
terms of square footage, was
somewhat closed off to the rest
of the house and had a layout
that wasn't serving their needs.
The homeowners often enter-
tained large groups of friends
and family and wanted a space
that would better accommodate
that. To accomplish this, the
family reached out to a trio of
design and build professionals
that included an interior design-
er and a father-son architect-
remodeler team.
"With a large extended fam -
ily, including a member with dis-
abilities, there were too many
tight turns and small doorways
[in the existing kitchen]," recalls
Christy Bowen, CKBD, owner
of Twelve Stones Designs, the
project's interior designer. "The
walls, corners and base cabinets
were gouged from the motorized
wheelchair, and the eating bar
was so far away and dimly lit
that no one wanted to sit there."
"Though the original kitchen
was not small, its layout over-
lapped the entertainment area
with the cooking area, leaving
the client without ample space
PARTY KITCHEN
Austin homeowners transform their kitchen into a hybrid
commercial-grade kitchen and open entertainment space