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24 | Kitchen & Bath Design News | October 2015 By Kim Berndtson Designer Profle I t's been about a year since Fred M. Alsen opened his kitchen and bath design frm, fma Design, in Chicago, IL. Although it's a new ven- ture for him, he is far from new to the design world. He holds a Bachelor of Fine Arts, Interior Design and has spent the last 20-plus years working primarily in interior design in the Chicago area, save for stints doing project development in China and India and as a showroom manager for a luxury wallpaper and paint compa- ny in the UK. His resume also includes time spent working for HGTV. Even with his extensive back- ground, though, he admits he was hesitant to strike out on his own, focusing on kitchen and bath design as well as spaces that require built-in cabinetry. "I've always felt I needed a secure job to pay the bills," he says. "I was afraid to go out on my own. But I decided to believe in myself and take the plunge. It's been amazing thus far, and I've been working nonstop! As soon as I fnish a job, the phone rings and there's another one." Alsen is already carving out a niche for himself, setting himself apart from others with a label he feels is most descriptive of what he does: interior design living specialist. "My philosophy has always been that your home is your cocoon," he says. "It should be who you are. You should be able to come home, breathe and let the rest of the world go once you walk in the door." He prefers the term living special- ist over the more traditional kitchen/ bath designer. "I don't like the words designer or design," he says. "It isn't about me, and it isn't about the de- sign. It's about the clients, about understanding what they are asking for and what the house is asking for. Then I marry the two together. That's Striking Out On His Own This kitchen features several aging-in-place elements that will allow Fred Alsen's parents to stay in their home longer. Cabinets feature full-extension, roll-out shelves. A drywalled pantry was removed and replaced with a tall pantry cabinet that also houses the microwave, which previously was located above the range. "Now it is at a level where she can actually see the controls and more easily reach inside," Alsen says. A bank of base drawers next to the sink and dishwasher is wide enough to hold dishes, purposefully located so his parents don't need to reach up for heavy items. The height of the bank of cabinets underneath the 'window' opening was lowered 1.5" so his mother, who is short, can more easily bake and prep without tiring her shoulders. The ADA-approved faucet is easy to operate, with one lever to turn it on/of and adjust the temperature. Cabinet hardware features easy-to-grip handles rather than knobs. Overhead lighting was placed directly over the middle of the countertops to eliminate shadows. Alsen also removed two half walls to provide better access for a wheelchair-bound friend. This 100-year-old farmhouse is a perfect example of marrying client needs with house needs. Fred Alsen's clients purchased the home a year ago, and although the previous owners had recently remodeled the kitchen in order to sell it, its maple cabinetry and contemporary style just didn't feel right to the new homeowners. Alsen gutted the space down to the studs. With an open slate, he made some adjustments to doorway openings to maximize the space and created a foor plan that better suited the main trafc fow from the front to the back of the house. The new design elements better suit the homeowners' needs and aesthetics while maintaining the integrity of the house. Photos: Mike Kaskel