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64 | Kitchen & Bath Design News January 2015 Designer's Notebook Over the past several years, I've noticed an intriguing trend emerg- ing: the two-kitchen home. Talented designers are creating gathering kitch- ens that are separated from secondary prep or clean-up stations concealed from view. Families that entertain frequently are clamoring for walled-off prep kitchens to support catering pre-din- ner needs, as well as clean-up-focused, pantry-type separate kitchen spaces. These forward-thinking designs are resulting in a dramatic change taking place in the way large, spacious kitchens that are part of a Great Room gathering area are being planned. EVOLUTION OF THE GREAT ROOM For some families, a return to an ap- preciation of a separate formal dining room is emerging. As reported in The New York Times, some families who have grown up in a Great Room (open- space kitchen) are now searching for a home that has a kitchen separate from the living spaces. The main reason? These homeowners oftentimes like to cook, they enjoy having people over for dinners and parties…but after the meal is completed, they want a separate space to place soiled dishes so they are not sitting on an open counter. So, how can we take the Great Room openness out of the Great Room kitchen? "All open" is not what families really want. The working part of the kitchen needs boundaries, a way to be concealed or separated. By subdividing large rooms into open – yet separate – zones of work, share, play, dine, etc., we can have a "great kitchen" in a "great room," and this seems to be diferent than the Great Room kitchen of several years ago. The concept kitchen seen on the previous page ofers valuable design solutions for these types of new spaces. GATHERING INFORMATION When faced with such a challenging space, wise designers add a series of new questions to better understand how the idea for a "two-kitchen home" can be tailored to the way the family lives and cooks. » » Does the family typically invite friends over for casual meals? Perhaps people visiting will bring a contribution to share? Applianc- es to reheat or keep food warm might be appreciated. » » Is the family socially active? The kitchen might be used for catered events; therefore, a warming area for the caterers that is out of sight from gathered guests is much more important than a separate cooking area. » » Does the primary cook like every- one helping them in the kitchen just before a meal is served, or prefer to have all prep work done so that when guests arrive they can take of their apron and join in the fun? If so, the separate area needs extensive counter space and refrigeration. » » In addition to cooking, it is impor- tant to ask about beverage and food shopping habits. » » Lastly, fnd out how comfortable the family is with the idea of extra steps or extra motions necessary to walk into or to open and close doors in special workstations away from the general kitchen. Following is a series of carefully crafted spaces that inspired me. CASE STUDY 1 In the frst case study (above), a South Carolina designer created a separate "scullery kitchen" layout, with a twist. CASE STUDY 2 In our second case study (at right), another Southern designer was chal- lenged by a typical ranch foor plan with many small rooms that did not encourage gathering. CASE STUDY 1 The overall room looks like a great place to party! The island features a sink at each end, with specialized wine storage, as well as refrigerator space. For food preservation, the inclusion of a full-sized refrigerator or freezer in the secondary space makes sense. It is only a few steps to this second appliance. Another appliance to consider specifying is an icemaker that produces substantial amounts of crystal clear ice. Depending on the way the family entertains, the inclusion of such an ice machine might make sense in the secondary area – or in an entertaining section of the primary kitchen, but away from where the cook is adding the fnishing touches to the meal. CASE STUDY 1 Note the pass-through or open area behind the cooking surface here. This great solution lets the natural light from the window in the back-up space flter into the gathering room. Source: Bryan Reiss, CMKBD, Distinctive Design, Mount Pleasant, SC, www.distinctivedesignllc.com Source: Eddie DeRhodes, DeRhodes Construction LLC, Charlotte, NC, www.derhodesconstruction.com