Gourmet Kitchen
Michael Nash Makeover Named Category Best in Eleven States in 11 Southern States
For an inspired cook, there is no substitute for a well-designed kitchen.
For homeowner, Philip Breddy, though, his new custom kitchen’s particular relevance is how completely it fulfills a vision that began when he recognized that the 5,000 square foot Great Falls home he had purchased didn’t adequately support his passion for culinary art.
“I had been thinking about improving the kitchen since we bought the house three years before,” Breddy says. “As a lifelong cooking enthusiast, the restricted space was a problem– but then I didn’t like the aesthetics either, so we were just gathering ideas, looking for inspiration.”
As it happened, a chance visit to the Michael Nash showroom in Fairfax soon reignited Breddy’s still formulating plans. “There were so many relevant kitchen displays,” Breddy recalls. “Before we left, I had scheduled an appointment with the president, Sonny Nazemian.”
As Breddy tells it, Nazemian–who is a certified remodeler (CR), certified interior designer (CID) and certified kitchen and bath remodeler (CKBD)–established his bona fides as space planner shortly after seeing the house for the first time:
“Once we both saw that the professional caliber stove and hood I wanted would have to be attached to the wall between the kitchen and the utility room, Sonny developed a plan for moving the rear elevation further out onto the back deck. I would also need more space for a larger refrigerator, and a substantial food preparation island.”
To create the needed square footage, Nazemian proposed expanding the existing footprint in two directions. First, he would remove the home’s west-facing rear elevation and install an I-beam mounted on vertical shafts to support the second floor. The new elevation now extends the back of the house over 150 square feet.
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Kitchen Island
The Breddy gourmet kitchen began with an analysis of square footage requirements for adding 4’x8′ food prep island, a 6 burner gas range and 72″ refrigerator & freezer. Ultimately, Michael Nash president and founder Sonny Nazemian proposed relocating the west-facing rear elevation four feet back onto a rear deck, adding over 150 feet of enclosed usable space. Removing ceiling-flush bulk-heading allowed for taller cabinets and a 20% increase in storage capacity.
The main sink has been re-positioned under a large south-facing window, opening-up dramatic visual linkage to the backyard.
A large island, with prep sink, microwave and dining counter circumscribed by seating for six, was custom-designed to family requirements.
The kitchen’s new focal point is a four-burner gas cooktop, positioned under a decorative arched hood and flanked by custom-designed glass-facing cabinets.
The island component is perfectly integrated into a series of cleverly conceived work triangles that simplify kitchen circulation and work flow.
It is also the essential pivot between the new farm sink, the cooktop and double door refrigerator/freezer.
The butler’s pantry and wine refrigerator is within an easy reach. The plan, in fact, facilitates a long list of family entertainment requirements.
What results is an “open” plan with clearly defined activity zones within a visual continuum. The spacious new interior allows all to enjoy private pursuits while maintaining eye-contact with other parts of the suite.
“A family kitchen is always a fulfilling assignment,” Nazemian says. “It really keeps us in touch with how families interact– it’s an arena where our skills are especially well-applied.”
Kitchen Sinks
The cook’s work triangle is formed by a rear-facing clean-up zone, an interior wall with a six burner stove and griddle, and a food prep island with sink and built-in cutting board. The step-saving configuration facilitates all essential cooking and clean-up tasks.
Kitchen Stove
The “transitional-style” interior design scheme emphasizes textures and muted tones in conjunction with the stainless steel facings of key appliances. At Breddy’s request, Nazemian found a way to “hone” the Italian granite counter surfaces. The backsplash is a slightly “tumbled” Travertine tile
Kitchen – Outside
Designers replaced a picture window with French doors that open directly to the deck. Effectively framing focal points within the property’s leafy backyard was critical to the kitchen’s aesthetic success.