By John Filippelli
TORONTO, ONTARIO
We’ve all seen reality
shows where some ordi-
nary, everyday person
receives a dramatic
makeover, right?
This kitchen remodel,
designed by Anthony
Binns, CKD, CBD of
Ontario, Canada-
based Binns Kitchen +
Bath Design,
started out much the
same way. However, it
received far more than just
a great new look, with a
completely redesigned
layout that solved several
major design challenges
and ultimately helped to
better organize the
clients’ lives.
When he began the
project, Binns was faced
with converting
a restrictive U-shaped
kitchen – not at all con-
ducive for the clients’
daily routine – into a
manageable space that
would facilitate cooking
and entertaining.
Says Binns: “The
kitchen was a challenge –
we had cookbooks
from one end of the
eating bar to the other.
There were notes and
Post-its all over the
place [just] crying out
for a desk.”
In addition, he
notes, the table
area was crowd-
ed by the eating
bar and peninsu-
la – not a good
recipe, he
suggests, since
it hampered
the clients’
ability to cook
and entertain.
Compounding
the situation,
Binns points out,
was that other
rooms in the
home needed to
be reworked, as
well, in order for
the entire project
to work.
Binns began
with an open
kitchen concept
that improved
traffic flow and
made the work
area more
user-friendly.
Specifically, he
chose an island
design – rather
than a peninsula
– which opened
up the table area and
made the kitchen easier
to navigate.
Next, he moved the
existing wall that
separated the kitchen
and laundry area,
thereby creating a
larger floorplan in
the kitchen. |
|
STORAGE ISSUES
As avid cooks, the clients had amassed a large quantity of cookbooks that created a sense of clutter in the former kitchen. To address this, Binns created a large storage area for the cook-
books, as well as a chief desk for the computer so the clients could look up recipes online. He explains:
“We did not
want to make
the cookbook
storage cabi-
nets look too
heavy, so we
recessed them
into the wall,
which gave
the clients a
larger desk
surface area.”
This helped to
better organize
the clients in
their day-to-
day lives.
Binns
also added
recessed
storage in the
hallway walls
in the form of
deep, tall
units for
brooms,
food, stereo equipment
and extra books.
WORK AND PLAY
Accustomed to
catering to clients who
enjoy cooking and
entertaining, Binns knew
how important it was
to make sure the traffic
pattern wouldn’t cross
the main work triangle.
But the original floorplan
made this almost impossi-
ble. Therefore, to open up
space, he removed the
underutilized den, which
he believes, “gave us the
opportunity to create a
functional floorplan for
the [entire] home.”
Next, he selected high-
end appliances, such as a
stainless steel Miele oven,
dishwasher and hood fan,
to add functional appeal.
These were complemented
with Bergamo Cherry
SieMatic “A” series
cabinetry in Cinnamon,
accented by brushed
nickel handles.
Completing the product
line-up are granite Giallo
Veneziano countertops
and backsplash, a brushed
nickel faucet from KWC
faucets to complement
the cabinetry handles, a
Panasonic microwave,
Franke sink, a stainless
steel gas cooktop from
Heartland [Next Page] |
|
|
