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2005 Hyde Park Idea Home
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Our empty nesters don't cook big meals
every day, so we chose compact,
efficient appliances from Fisher &
Paykel. A convenient gas cooktop offers
a simple look. Two dishwasher drawers
at counter height are easy on aging
backs. We placed less-used ovens out
of the work triangle & placed them in a
wall "pantry" featuring tall upper
cabinets that come down to meet
the counter.
Kitchen, Dining Room, and Family Room
Cozy versus spacious The amount of space you have is not as important as what you do with it. For empty nesters, a kitchen should work equally well for quick meals and for intimate dinner parties. The eating and entertaining rooms in our Hyde Park home were designed for both. Just steps from the kitchen, the dining room offers organized simplicity and flexibility with an Asian-inspired, lacquered-wood table, mix-and-match seating and an Arts and Crafts-influenced sideboard. Connecting those rooms, a fully outfitted butler's pantry with bar sink is perfect for entertaining.
KITCHEN/DINING ROOM
GIVE THE ILLUSION OF MORE SPACE While measuring only 12 x 15 feet, our kitchen looks bigger because of smart choices. A distinctive barrel ceiling offers visual height, and a light frost glaze on the upper Aristokraft maple cabinets and island maintains an open feeling. Richly stained dark maple lower cabinets anchor the room. We designed the island on legs for a contemporary furniture look. Its see-through construction gives it less visual bulk. Two bar stools can tuck underneath out of the traffic flow, and the island's built-in shelving and cabinet offer dish display and additional hidden storage.
ADD STYLE Our contemporary look gets a big boost from faux concrete-look DuPont Corian countertops and a Corian backsplash in a dimensional-wave pattern. Finishing the space are horizontally placed chrome hardware, simple pendant lighting and a high arch, pearl-nickel Delta faucet.
Muted versus bright Soothing rooms usually don't just happen. We created an oasis of sophisticated relaxation for our empty nesters with careful choices in color, furniture and accessories. Gentle, cool hues in this family room are accented by the sheen of silver and glass, reminding us of a placid lake at dawn. The soft textures of linen, leather and silk, rather than distracting patterns, add a layer of calm and comfort.
FAMILY ROOM
MAKE PRACTICAL CONNECTIONS
The roomy 16 x 20-foot family room and kitchen open seamlessly into each other for easy everyday living and entertaining. An oak floor in both rooms, colored with Cabot stain, visually connects the two.
CREATE A FOCAL POINT
The soft gray color in this room gets a lively boost from the sparkling, mirrored-tile fireplace surround. A leather-topped coffee table offers a soft spot to prop feet, yet hides clutter below. Across the room, chrome-shaded lamps repeat and balance the fireplace's shine.
ACCENT WITH RESTRAINT
Nature's driftwood and shells soften man-made metal and glass accents. Small touches of color and pattern add contrast without distraction. Pink and leopard-print pillows echo and balance the colors in the abstract oil painting that inspired this room's color scheme.
