Parlor Kitchen #5: Where the Party's At
This may be our favorite one yet: This kitchen was designed to be at once functionally and aesthetically pleasing. The house is 22 feet wide hence allowing us to have a rather decent sized room of approximately 16×15. It’s so true that everyone congregates in the kitchen while the living room remains empty during large…
This may be our favorite one yet:
This kitchen was designed to be at once functionally and aesthetically pleasing. The house is 22 feet wide hence allowing us to have a rather decent sized room of approximately 16×15. It’s so true that everyone congregates in the kitchen while the living room remains empty during large gatherings. We had to sacrifice the dining room by about 1 foot to give it to the kitchen and I think the move really paid off. We’ve also tried to maximize storage space by framing an sitting nook with cabinets overhead.
If size was no object, I would have a kitchen island as long and large as possible. There’s something so cozy and functional about being able to carry out tasks on a surface in the middle of the room, be it cooking, eating, working, or simply hanging out. Outside the French doors is a slim balcony that leads to a staircase that goes down to the garden. We attach flower baskets to the balcony rails and put some fruit/herb planters on the deck. I’d highly recommend your friends to add some exterior focal point outside their kitchen as it’s the best way to take advantage of a parlor level kitchen layout.
It’s been about 3 years now and I can’t think of anything else I’d change about the kitchen. And oh yeah, the AGA rocks.
Bootyful.
Update: Check out more pics and description of the project on the jump.
Ideas for the Parlor Floor Kitchen? [Brownstoner]
Parlor Kitchen #1: Architect-Designed in The Slope [Brownstoner]
Parlor Kitchen #2: Contractor’s Own Kitchen [Brownstoner]
Parlor Floor Kitchen #3: Jeffrey’s 35-Footer [Brownstoner]
Parlor Kitchen #4: Spreading Out in a 22-Footer [Brownstoner]
….a couple more photos to help put the kitchen in perspective. The parlor layout (22×50) is living room in front, dining room middle, and kitchen in back, plus hallway, staircase, powder room, the usual suspects.
As for materials – kitchen is rather straightforward and I think can be done to fit a range of budgets. Cabinets are paint grade wood with BM Dove White, floors are black slate from Home Depot, countertop & backsplashes are Carera grey marble, farmhouse sink, etc. The only statement piece is the AGA, but otherwise, the other components are run of the mill and don’t need to be expensive.
Having said that however, it really pays to have good carpentry, good painting, good lighting, and lastly, a good eye.
“red aga…” Sounds like a sexually transmitted disease. What ever it is, I hope you get it.
Conspicuous consumerism implies that the object was purchased merely to show that the purchaser could spend the money on it. Unless you bought it, you don’t know if it was bought to show off, or because the purchaser appreciated its beauty, or as an investment, or whatever.
I happen to think the Aga is beautiful and I bet the owners really appreciate its beauty and its functionality (I would love to cook a turkey at 325 in one oven, bake some potatoes in another oven at 400, and proof some dough in a third oven; the fourth is probably a broiler, but I couldn’t come up with anything). I happen to think that Hummers are obnoxious and are only purchased in order to be shown off. But without actually knowing the intent of the purchasers, I cannot know whether either one is conspicuous consumerism or not. It’s simply not possible, and it’s absolutely not a matter of someone else’s opinion. If you want, say that you’re appalled that someone would spend that much on a stove. But it simply doesn’t fit the phrase conspicuous consumerism.
Funny, when my husband says I’m being clever, he means it as an insult.
Hey, wait a minute!
everyone on this board is so clever
I really, really feel for you, 6:07. To be reduced to settling for the second-most wasteful status symbol must be so hard. Did your shrink help you deal with this crisis?
I desperately wanted a red aga in my new kitchen, but just couldn’t afford to give up that extra 8 inches of counterspace… Settled for a Viking. But it’s no Aga.
i’m so jealous i didn’t think of that, 5:44.
ok, now i’m just being ridiculous.
As lame as the display of wealth may be- wouldn’t it be not existent and kind of pointless without the envious people. I never look at other people’s stuff and think about how much it cost.
“Conspicuous consumption is a term used to describe the lavish spending on goods and services that are acquired mainly for the purpose of displaying income or wealth.”
oh…so you mean like brownstones??
KIIIIDDDING.
kinda.