Group Effort Kitchen designer Karen Williams likes to cook and entertain. She’s often got a group of friends or family gathered in her kitchen eager to assist with meal preparation. So when she renovated the kitchen in her 1929 Tudor house in Scarsdale, N.Y., she made sure the space would be conducive to cooking with a group.
A butcher-block food prep center occupies a corner of the island, so helpers can gather on either side of the chef. Even when Williams is cooking solo, the center’s placement allows her to interact with her guests. “In my own kitchen and many of the others I’ve done, I put the prep area where you’re looking out at guests, not facing the wall,” she says. “By facing out, I can still be a part of the conversation.” A
Historically inspired elements like the hutch holding the refrigerator and freezer, the stucco range hood, and the tiled backsplash link the new kitchen to its 1929 roots. Photo: Peter Leach veggie sink and a raised breakfast bar fill out the rest of the granite-topped island. And the custom mahogany pot rack overhead holds built-in task lighting. During evening dinner parties, when Williams likes to keep the rest of the kitchen dark, it illuminates the island for last-minute preparations. One of her other favorite features is a steam oven, located in the pantry just off the kitchen. “It’s such a great feature,” she says. “It defrosts items without burning or drying them out on the edges. It also helps me prepare food ahead of time—I’ll steam something and then sauté it just before serving.” Project Credits:
Builder: RJS Construction, Mahopac, N.Y.; Designer: Karen R. Williams, St. Charles of New York, New York City; Project size: 400 square feet; Construction cost: Withheld; Photographer: Peter Leach.
Resources:
Dishwasher: Asko; Oven: Miele; Range: La Cornue; Refrigerator: Sub-Zero.
Details The open shelving that supports the food prep center is painted dark green, in a departure from the island’s mahogany base. “Every kitchen should have a signature piece that says something about the client—a ‘fun piece,’” says designer Karen Williams. “That’s mine.”
