Less Is More
“Our first challenge was in defining the space,” says Ilin. “This modern home needed a modern kitchen, but the space and some of the
architectural features were working against us.”
The original kitchen was very small, so Ilin took down a wall and opened up the
space to accommodate one large cooking and entertaining area. With nine hundred
square feet to work with, the next task was creating a natural flow—and plenty of storage. A large J-shaped island was proposed, but the unusually situated kitchen
skylight necessitated a revision in the floor plan.
“Because the skylight wasn’t centered in the space, we needed to change the layout,” Ilin says. “So we created two separate islands and offset them slightly.”
One island, with its stainless steel surface over highly polished ebony laminate, is used as a food prep area, and the second island,
topped with shimmering glass, provides comfortable seating for five. Their
creative configuration adds to the elegant appearance of this sleek, sculptural
kitchen, which looks more like a modern art museum than a cooking area.
On the back wall of the kitchen, a pair of recessed ovens and microwaves is
inset into a walk-in pantry with paneled, sliding doors. The ice maker,
dishwasher, and wine cooler are flush with the prep island. There’s not so much as a drawer pull to interrupt the traffic flow in the room. Rich
ebony laminate accents add warmth and depth to the design. Honey-toned teak
flooring is found in the kitchen and throughout the home.
The skylight serves as the primary source of light in the kitchen, bouncing and
reflecting on the glass-front laminate cabinets in the palest of blues. Track
lighting provides illumination at night.
The homeowners are frequent entertainers and avid cooks. To conceal their many
small appliances, Ilin created storage spaces that double as decorative design
elements, with ebony frames and glass-paneled doors.
“We do entertain family and friends a lot,” Roseann says, “and everyone just loves the kitchen. People just want to come here and cook.”
But no one enjoys the kitchen more than Roseann herself. “Every day when I walk into this kitchen, I feel that I’m home,” she says. “This room is me. I’m an artist, and it makes me feel good. It all makes sense to me.” 
To achieve that look, Ilin created a seamless sink, range, and refrigerator area
along one wall in gleaming stainless steel and glass. Pedini cabinetry, with
its Italian design, provided highly functional, highly fashionable storage both
above and below the countertop level. A row of low windows was installed along
the backsplash area, interspersed with glass mosaic panels in warm shimmering
hues.
“I love to look at this kitchen,” Roseann says. “I go in there and I think to myself, ‘It will never go out of style. It will never be dated. I’ll never get tired of it. It will never be old.’ It’s contemporary, yes, but there are also universal elements that have a
traditional appeal.”
On the opposite side of the kitchen, floor-to-ceiling windows offer views of a
wooded ravine. A deck just off the kitchen functions as a second dining area.
The kitchen opens to a large portion of the rest of the house, including the
living room. Another small seating area features a pair of love seats near an
adjoining television viewing area. For larger parties, a dining room table can
be pulled out to accommodate eight to ten guests.
