“We didn’t want to walk into this Victorian-style house and see this brand-new, state-of-the-art kitchen,” says Miriam Weinreb Lissak, who designed the interiors for this new home on Candlewood Lake in New Fairfield, Conn. The family of six who own the house does need state-of-the-art function for daily meals and frequent social events, however. “You can have a catering staff all working at once or one person cooking for the family,” adds Lissak. Two refrigerators, two dishwashers, and a roomy farmhouse sink occupy one wall. A commercial-size, cast iron stove take up almost the entire adjacent wall which offers the cook direct views of the lake. Across the room, a wood-burning fireplace at cabinet height can be seen clearly from anywhere in the room.
“In a kitchen you can never have too much storage,” states Lissak, who chose period pieces for usefulness as well as good looks. An old-fashioned drying rack keeps everyday plates close to sink and dishwashers. An authentic bar rail draws attention to a hanging display cabinet and doubles as a pot rack. The distressed finish on cabinets not only enhances ambience but hides wear and tear from four children. Scrolled corner posts contrast the room’s square edges and straight lines, but like most other details there was practical consideration. The stove is deeper than standard cabinets, so Lissak used the posts as a “beautiful way to incorporate the stove into the cabinetry.”
Builder: Blansfield Builders, Danbury, Conn.; Architect: Charles W. Reppenhagen Architect, Sherman, Conn.; Interior designer: Weinreb Schultz Design Associates, New York City; Cabinetmaker: Hallmark, New York City; Photographer: Bryan Goulart
Resources: Cooktop/oven: Aga; Dishwashers: Miele; Refrigerators: Sub-Zero.
