We're starting to believe we have the last kitchen built since about 1990 that isn't an integral part of a great room, separated at most by an island. As usual, however, we're finding that our fuddy-duddy ways will put us on the
cutting edge with enough patience. If ever we sell this house (instead of being carried out feet-first, my current ambition), we will market it as featuring the newest trend, a "discrete kitchen."
Rather than combining living, dining and kitchen in one open space, Beckford’s more traditional floor plans have created a new amenity, in addition to the development’s rooftop terrace, yoga rooms and private piano bar and lounge—the discrete kitchen.
“People like that you’re not looking at your kitchens from other rooms,” Ms. Russo said. “So many of these open kitchens, I think people are tiring of them and they are going back to the old school, the old architecture.”
It goes along with another hot trend we saw developing a few years back: "away rooms" for people who originally thought they needed unobstructed sightlines from one end of the house to the other, so that their young children could be under constant surveillance. One of the few things I'd do differently if I were building this house again is pay more attention to the need for soundproofing at least one room. Either that or I need to develop some control over my dogs' barking when I'm trying to talk on the phone.
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We're starting to believe we have the last kitchen built since about 1990 that isn't an integral part of a great room, separated at most by an island.
[ahem] 1998. That's when our house in Plano was built, more or less to our specs. Our kitchen overlooks our family room with its TV by design, so that as one of us prepares the meal, that one is not isolated from the news programming or entertainment that we like to watch. The noise of the kitchen does interfere with that, though we get away with it because it's only the two of us. Likely, with more folks in such a home, the open aspect wouldn't work.
One of the few things I'd do differently if I were building this house again is pay more attention to the need for soundproofing at least one room.
When we built our geodesic dome with its relatively open flooring in Las Cruces, one of the things we discovered was that the curved outer wall acted as an excellent intercom. All we had to do was face the wall opposite where the person we were addressing was, even if that person was on the second floor, and speak in a normal tone. The wall reflected, and that person could hear us easily and respond in the same manner for our easy hearing. That was pretty cool at the time, but I'm not sure we'd want to repeat it.
Eric Hines
If there's a discrete kitchen, can we design in a "butler's pantry", too?
You know, the narrow hallway between the kitchen and the public room (not necessarily these days a "dining room" because who sits down all as a group for dinner?) with shelves and drawers for dishes and tableware and canned goods and serving pieces? So, the open area no longer puts unused china and crystal out for display in a china cabinet, like saint's bones in a reliquary. Stuff is close to point of use but not in the way.
Our fairly small house lacks a mudroom, but that would be next on my wishlist, I think, if I had more room. Like many people, we tend to dump everything on the dining table. I like the idea of a room off the back door with hooks for coats or purses, and drawers or lockers for keys, and a desk for mail. If it had a spray bar and drain for dogs, so much the better.
I spend a lot of time in the kitchen since I cook almost all of our food, so I appreciate not being walled into a little cell. A lot depends on lifestyle that way.
That's the message I get from lots of people. In my household, my husband is the primary cook, and he's somewhat solitary if not downright antisocial. He is completely puzzled by the urge so many people have to stay connected to family or company while cooking. He wants to concentrate and mostly wishes people would stay out. He like a nice view but doesn't hanker for any conversation.
The traditional kitchen seems to recall an age when the cook was either a servant or at the very least a member of the family whose life was circumscribed in some way by culinary duties. The kitchen took on ominous overtones.
Myself, I think the open kitchens on TV shows are attractive, and I enjoy hanging out in friends' houses at their islands while they prepare food. Still, when I'm home, cooking in my own kitchen is comfortable and doesn't feel confining or cell-like. All I require are windows and a ceiling that's high enough.
To each their own, and that's what really keeps us in business (well, that and mind blowing red tape foe even the seemingly simplest permits these days- that's increasingly a large percentage of our time). Every family lives differently, and things change over a lifetime. The way that trend describes it though, it sounds more like a return to the days of an upper class served by others. I can see that in California where everyone (except us apparently) has a gardener, and possibly a nanny, housekeeper, etc. The wealthy set the trends, and I'd not be surprised to learn personal chefs are the new thing, and this kind of kitchen would fit that- as in the late 19th c. homes of the wealthy with their front of house for the family to live, and back of house (complete with separate stair) for he service.
Increasing the resistance to sound transmission can start to increase costs a bit and people usually back off because they thing they want something else more, but it's money well spent. Soundboard, extra layer of drywall, sealing openings at electrical boxes, good door seals (interior as well if you want to stop sound) all help. A lot you could add in after the fact without a great deal of trouble. It also gives the spaces a sense of being in a more solidly built structure- like a car that sounds solid when you slam the door. You can feel it.
Our spaces interconnect, which I like, and we installed old-fashioned transoms, which I also like. But the drawback is lack of sound insulation. On those rare occasions when it matters, I'm tempted to climb into a closet, or drive around the neighborhood.
I think generally interconnected living spaces and 'public' spaces (places where visitors to your house would be expected to be) are good. Typically, people want to segregate off the Private areas (bedrooms, bathrooms used by the family, maybe the family room though that can be more an in-between area). We'd usually want to spec a little more sound reduction at the division between the public and private spaces, and/or around the master suite. The transoms definitely make it more difficult to segregate sound. If they're single glazed, it might not be too bad to double glaze them, and the sound transmission reduction should be significant (but nowhere near total). Doors, with that big gap at the bottom usually, are the worst offenders for sound transmission. Door seals at the bottom can really reduce this. The automatic ones are really nice because they don't rub as you open and close, because they're up until the door seats into the jamb.
Ear plugs work too.
Earplugs are good for me, but they don't do much for the poor guy on the other end of the line. :-)
The transoms are usually open, though I can close them. As you say, it's the large return-air gap under the doors that's probably the real issue. Well, that, and our total inability or unwillingness to train our dogs properly.
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