Sweet Treat

What could be more delicious than a kitchen done up in creamy vanilla and rich chocolate? During a recent makeover, this Briarcliff Manor space got the royal treatment, with Heirloom cabinets finished in a vanilla paint with a chocolate glaze finish, striking countertops in Santa Cecelia granite and cherry wood, and state-of-the-art appliances.

When the couple bought this Cape Cod-style house, it sat on a prime piece of property abutting a nature preserve, but lacked a kitchen with style (sporting old beige laminate cabinets instead) or appropriate function for a family. Its small size and lack of storage were a problem. When they began their a second-story addition, the homeowners decided to move ahead with a long-planned kitchen re-do as well.

“We did a lot of reconfiguring within the existing footprint of the house,” says Jason Landau of Amazing Spaces, LLC, a Briarcliff Manor-based kitchen and bath designer, who worked with the homeowners (who happen to be his neighbors) on the renovation. “The former kitchen was half the size of its current size. To gain additional square footage, a workout room was turned into a dining room and a boiler, a furnace, and a washer/drawer were relocated, freeing up extra space for the kitchen. The result? The kitchen was enlarged to 12-by-20 feet.

To create a wall of windows and add a sliding glass door to a deck outside, the work areas were moved to the inside wall. “I think the openness to the beautiful yard is this kitchen's greatest asset. It expands the room itself,” Landau says. And, as a neighbor to the homeowners, this is one designer who has had the opportunity to see the room in action. “This kitchen is also great for entertaining. The peninsula and the island protect the work zone, so people can gather and keep the cook company without interfering with the work. It helps make for a great party!”

An island with a prep sink and recycling center (and plenty of beadboard-backed bookshelves for cookbooks) takes center stage. Replacing a standard small door, 12-foot sliding glass doors flood the new space with light and allow the homeowners to enjoy their private, wooded backyard, which abuts a nature reserve.

 

A 48-inch Sub-Zero refrigerator is hidden with cabinet-like panels. An appliance garage in the corner hides a microwave. A 36-inch Viking range with a griddle is topped by a custom hood that matches the cabinetry.

 

An appliance garage to the left of the Franke sink and Grohe faucet hides an espresso machine (the false drawers lift with the cabinet door). Behind the sink, a cherry wood countertop serves as a breakfast bar. The Miele dishwasher is covered with paneling.

 

The peninsula is flanked by cleverly disguised storage, including a slim shelves and a floor-to-ceiling wine cabinet. On the far side of the room, a pass-through next to the refrigerator leads to the new dining room, which once was a workout room.

Photographs by Olson Photographic, LLC