In kitchens, homeowners’ style tastes vary as much as the foods in them. But whatever the look, those wanting high-end kitchens all have flowing floor plans and fast, functional appliances on their musthave list. When Ida McConnell, CKD and Joyce Cessar, co-founders of Cuvée Kitchen Designs, set out to design a kitchen they have two areas of focus: How are the homeowners going to live in the space? And how is the kitchen going to blend with the rest of the house? Over their 26 years in business, the designers have seen a multitude of improvements, but they agree the largest leaps are in the appliance category. “Sub-Zero has always had paneled appliances, but they had frames around them,” McConnell explains. “Now integrated appliances look like cabinetry. People literally can’t find the appliances in the kitchen, which makes them so easy to work into designs. Refrigeration drawers placed by prep sinks create more cooking stations, and the microwave drawer gets the appliance off the wall.” Another advancement has come from computer renderings, says McConnell. “They help our clients visualize the outcome.” This technology helped two Pittsburgh families plan their dream kitchens.
Sleek style
When deciding to renovate their Squirrel Hill home, a multigenerational family’s main goal was to open up the narrow galley kitchen. “Because I’m Italian, the kitchen is the heart of the home,” the homeowner says. “My mom lives with me and we cook a lot. We wanted an open space where we could interact with friends while we cook. We wanted a huge island and a lot of storage.” McConnell worked with architect Sarah Drake and interior designer Melissa Ferrari to create a space with “European sensibility.” “We melded old and new by using a traditional wood with a contemporary style,” she says. “Using the grain of the walnut horizontally on the cabinetry added so much character.” To help create the clean and sleek space, McConnell worked with the experts at Don’s Appliances to select an integrated Sub-Zero refrigerator and a gas range, wall oven and speed oven by Miele. “What makes the speed oven so great is the microwave element and convection fan work together to create a faster cooking technology called speed convection,” explains Erin Slattery of Don’s Appliances. The family loves their new kitchen in their quaint, older home. “Ida is extremely meticulous,” the homeowner says. “She is very responsive and has great taste. I’ve already referred her to a very close friend.”
Lodge look
When planning their dream home, Steve and Jodi Lech wanted a lodge-style floor plan and drew inspiration from out West. As owner of the construction company, Sonny Knish, LLC, Steve knew he could handle production, but the couple wanted an expert when it came to designing their kitchen, so they contacted Cessar. “The Lech family is full of cooks,” Cessar says. “The main objective was to create a large prep area for people to spread out and work. They truly enjoy cooking and baking, so I made sure the island was one level and large enough for everyone to be comfortable and productive.” The island includes trash and recycling bins that open handsfree. Clean up is aided by two Bosch Benchmark dishwashers – an idea Steve admits he fought “tooth and nail.” “I just thought it seemed a bit over the top,” he explains. “But they get used all the time.” Jodi jokes that her husband, the primary cook, is very territorial. “When we cooked together in our old house we were constantly bumping into each other,” she says. “We basically created a second prep kitchen in our pantry where I have a sink and plenty of counter space to make salads and chop fruits and vegetables.” Cessar was able to take large appliances – including the Sub-Zero 36-inch refrigerator and freezer columns – and have them appear warm and furniture-like. She says, “The house has a very comfortable zen-like feel through the use of natural materials.”
