They turned to Nyack architect and kitchen designer Gemini Watanabe of Summit Street Design, for a greener gathering space. Watanabe works on sustainable design by using environmentally sensitive materials and products, such as cabinets made with soy-based glues, energy-efficient appliances, low-VOC (volatile organic compounds) paints and all-natural alternatives to traditional products, like a linoleum made from linseed oil and pine rosin.
"One of the reasons the family wanted to do their kitchen over was they wanted a place in their home that was healthy for everyone," she says.
On the practical side, the couple also needed more storage space than their old kitchen allowed, and better traffic flow. A single, narrow doorway separating the kitchen from the dining room acted liked a bottleneck, keeping guests clogged in the kitchenwhen the couple entertained guests, which was often.
By removing the wall between the rooms, and anchoring a slim island in the middle of the kitchen, Watanabe was immediately able to improve the traffic flow. She designed a custom-birch storage center to hold the couple's cooking utensils, and a small television. She added display shelves for cookbooks, and a work desk. The unit fills an entire wall of the new kitchen, which is painted in a meditative shade of green.
With the practicalities taken care of, Watanabe tackled the larger issue: eradicating harmful toxins from the kitchen to give it maximum appeal and enjoyment for the whole family.
