Parlor Kitchen #6: Modern in Prospect Heights
The sweet kitchens just keep rolling in! Today’s is in a 21-foot-wide brownstone in Prospect Heights with an almost identical rear parlor to ours. This is definitely on the modern side but works very nicely in the Italianate setting. Here’s what the owner had to say: The key for us is that we wanted to…
The sweet kitchens just keep rolling in! Today’s is in a 21-foot-wide brownstone in Prospect Heights with an almost identical rear parlor to ours. This is definitely on the modern side but works very nicely in the Italianate setting. Here’s what the owner had to say:
The key for us is that we wanted to work with the existing detail and architecture of the room while at the same time making sure we had enough storage to have a fully functioning kitchen. The closet on the left serves as a pantry, while the one on the right stores pots and pans and also has a microwave and toaster oven. We put a light on top of the cabinets to accent the arch and detail above the stove and fridge. We thought about putting cabinets in the arch on the back wall, but decided against it to maintain optionality of potentially knocking the wall under the arch out to install a large window. We have a minimalist esthetic, and we find that modern furniture works quite well with the italianate detail. All of the cabinets were customed and the fancy appliances were purchased at substantial discounts from a scratch and dent warehouse (nothing visible). The dining table is from Ligne Roset and the chairs are Cassina.
The one question we have is whether it would have been better to try to do some under-counter fridges in that big island rather than squeeze the tall fridge into the nook with the stove. Either way, another gorgeous design.
Ideas for the Parlor Floor Kitchen? [Brownstoner]
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Parlor Kitchen #4: Spreading Out in a 22-Footer [Brownstoner]
Parlor Kitchen #5: Where the Party’s At [Brownstoner]
Thank you, not only for the great info but for addressing this with humor (something I often have trouble doing on Gates Reno when I get a lot of criticism).
Thanks, owner for the answers.
Ok – I’m the owner and will try to address some of the questions that have come up:
Q. Where are the microwave and toaster oven?
A. Hidden away in the closet on the right. They are plugged in so we don’t need to take them out.
Q. Does your kitchen get messy when you cook?
A. Never
Q. Where to get a scratch and dent subzero?
A. Call the local distributors in CT and NY and ask for their scratch and dent “guy”. Our fridge was returned because the handle was on the wrong side – so it was open box. Our stove had scratches on the side – which no one will ever see in our kitchen. Discounts were good but you may have to wait – we were doing a 9 month renovation on our house so we had the luxury of time.
Q. Do you have enough counter space?
A. Yes – the island is quite large (you can’t tell scale from the picture). Never an issue.
Q. Was a woman involved in designing the kitchen and how could she possibly prepare a nice meal in this configuration? Is this really a kitchen?
A. My wife was in charge of designing the kitchen – and she is a woman. The kitchen is actually quite ergonomic – everything is just within reach and it works quite well. All of the meals that have come out of our kitchen have been excellent except for the turkey meatloaf (sorry honey). I can also assure you that this is a kitchen.
Q. Do you need more storage space?
A. One or two more drawers would be great. Note that the entire back of the island are “push” cabinets with magentic strikes – so there is a decent amount of storage. Shelves in the closets go all the way up as well. We also have a wall unit in the front parlor that houses our china, etc.
Q. Who made your cabinets?
A. Tasos Yerolemou at Custum CAS in Astoria (right on the water) – 718-726-3575
Frankly, I couldn’t care less if my guests see the mess. We want our kitchen to be in the middle of the action, so that when we do have people over – or are just trying to keep an eye on the kids play or watch TV or do homework – we can still be working in the kitchen and getting things done. If people see the accompanying mess, so be it – at least it proves I actually cooked, which seems to be a criticism often lobbed at pictures of really nice kitchens (“I bet they don’t even cook on their $7K stove” etc.).
You don’t have to be a chef to not appreciate this kitchen. Roast a chicken and throw together a salad for 4 or 6 and what do your guests get to look at? The mess.
Looks fabulous though.
can you give more info about the “scratch and dent warehouse”? i’m re-doing my kitchen and would love to find some high end appliances at a discount! also, would anyone care to weigh in about marble countertops?
The code in NYC is to link the waste pipe to the vent stack and remember your friendly DOB inspector at Christmas, no matter the time of year.
Anything else, anything, is AGAISNT CODE.
once that is done, you’ll find that the island looks really short. it doesn’t need to be an island at all. it could be extended to the yard wall, as there is an empty space there that could easily be employed as more work space.
you don’t need room for people to mill about, as the dining room is right there.
methinks again. no me will stop methinking. good night.
brownstoner: “The one question we have is whether it would have been better to try to do some under-counter fridges in that big island rather than squeeze the tall fridge into the nook with the stove.”
me: take the fridge away. center the stove under the arch, counter space on either side, with drawers under the counters.
rework the closet to the left of the stove (the one near the window) to accommodate the fridge. use the closet near the door as pantry. keep the arches on both of the closets, of course. it would take some work to open the closet near the window to fit the fridge, but it could be done. you’d probably have to lose the moulding on the stove side of the fridge.
it’s better to have work space on either side of the stove, and centering it will provide symmetry.
still modern, still minimalist, still keeping the italiante structure.
methinks.