Kitchen of the Week: Three Generations Cook and Eat Together
An interior designer helps a family create a functional layout with a warm and timeless look
A quick sketch changed the course of a renovation for this Pasadena, California, family. Three generations live together — a couple, their adult son and the wife’s parents. Having recently downsized from a large house to a cozy bungalow, they were feeling a bit squeezed. So they planned a family room addition and a remodel that would expand the 70-square-foot kitchen to 360 square feet. But when they saw the plans that had been drawn up without a designer, they were disappointed.
The son showed the plans to a friend, interior designer Linette Dai, to get her thoughts. She whipped out her notebook and quickly sketched some ideas. “When he showed my sketch to his parents, they hired me on the spot,” Dai says. “This family really enjoys cooking together and eating together, so setting up the kitchen to function well for both was very important.” She created an efficient work triangle, seamlessly integrated the dining space into a cozy eat-in kitchen setup, designed a high-functioning island, provided ample display space for the family’s extensive collections and used textures to add warmth and visual interest to the room.
The son showed the plans to a friend, interior designer Linette Dai, to get her thoughts. She whipped out her notebook and quickly sketched some ideas. “When he showed my sketch to his parents, they hired me on the spot,” Dai says. “This family really enjoys cooking together and eating together, so setting up the kitchen to function well for both was very important.” She created an efficient work triangle, seamlessly integrated the dining space into a cozy eat-in kitchen setup, designed a high-functioning island, provided ample display space for the family’s extensive collections and used textures to add warmth and visual interest to the room.
We don’t have a “before” photo to share, but we can show how the design process evolved through drawings. This is the original proposed layout that spurred the homeowners to bring in Dai. The new family room addition is located off the right side of the drawing. The fridge surround is in the center of the left side — where it could be viewed from the family room, which was less than ideal. In the previous photo, you can see that Dai created a lovely focal point with the range wall and island light fixture there instead.
That’s the stove on the bottom under the windows. While they aren’t drawn here, that proposed wall also had a long run of cabinets and countertops without a plan for how the space would feel or function. The sink is on the opposite side of the island. “The main sink and stove were over 13 feet apart with an island in the middle, which would’ve been a real daily workout to maneuver,” Dai says.
It’s not shown here, but the plan was for the dining table to be to the right of the island. “It was just kind of plopped in the middle of all these cabinet runs, not cozy at all,” Dai says. Because eating together was important to the family, one of her main goals was to create an inviting dining spot within the room.
That’s the stove on the bottom under the windows. While they aren’t drawn here, that proposed wall also had a long run of cabinets and countertops without a plan for how the space would feel or function. The sink is on the opposite side of the island. “The main sink and stove were over 13 feet apart with an island in the middle, which would’ve been a real daily workout to maneuver,” Dai says.
It’s not shown here, but the plan was for the dining table to be to the right of the island. “It was just kind of plopped in the middle of all these cabinet runs, not cozy at all,” Dai says. Because eating together was important to the family, one of her main goals was to create an inviting dining spot within the room.
During her chat with the homeowners’ son, Dai quickly sketched her layout ideas, with the work triangle in one corner and the sink placed below the window. She kept the walls around the window open so light could filter in without being blocked by upper cabinets. On the left, she added a built-in banquette for a dining area that would comfortably seat the entire family.
“The main sink is in front of the window and in close proximity to the stove, with plenty of working counter space,” Dai says. Knowing the family liked to work together, she proposed an island and a bar with sink to create additional prep space. “The new island also has an incredible amount of storage,” she says.
Dai’s sketch also featured a long row of cabinetry on the other side of the kitchen. On that side would be the pantry, fridge, bar and storage cabinets with display space for china and glassware collections, providing a nice view from the dining table.
“The main sink is in front of the window and in close proximity to the stove, with plenty of working counter space,” Dai says. Knowing the family liked to work together, she proposed an island and a bar with sink to create additional prep space. “The new island also has an incredible amount of storage,” she says.
Dai’s sketch also featured a long row of cabinetry on the other side of the kitchen. On that side would be the pantry, fridge, bar and storage cabinets with display space for china and glassware collections, providing a nice view from the dining table.
In terms of style, Dai knew her clients wanted a timeless look free from trendiness. While they originally thought they wanted a gray kitchen, they changed their minds when she introduced them to Farrow & Ball’s Pigeon paint. It’s a gray-green that Dai considers a neutral, and it ties in with the views out the windows. The new flooring is engineered European oak hardwood.
Knowing that built-ins would be an important part of the kitchen, Dai paid careful attention to the millwork design. For example, check out the details on the island’s legs and the tongue-and-groove paneling on the cabinetry.
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Knowing that built-ins would be an important part of the kitchen, Dai paid careful attention to the millwork design. For example, check out the details on the island’s legs and the tongue-and-groove paneling on the cabinetry.
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The island’s drawers have a beaded detail that elevates the look and adds more texture to the space. Dai was also looking to elevate the overall look of the room.
“Faucets and hardware are actually an often-overlooked opportunity to elevate the space and make a remarkable difference if carefully chosen,” she says. “Along with lighting fixtures, they are the jewelry of a kitchen.” Also worth noting are the curved brass brackets under the wood open shelves. In addition, selections like the old-fashioned door latches on some of the cabinets bring hints of vintage style to the room.
“Faucets and hardware are actually an often-overlooked opportunity to elevate the space and make a remarkable difference if carefully chosen,” she says. “Along with lighting fixtures, they are the jewelry of a kitchen.” Also worth noting are the curved brass brackets under the wood open shelves. In addition, selections like the old-fashioned door latches on some of the cabinets bring hints of vintage style to the room.
“I love to cook, so I know it’s great to have the sink close to the range,” Dai says. “But it’s not good to have them too close together — you want to have ample counter space around both the sink and the range.” The countertops are a durable quartz that can stand up to five family members hard at work in the kitchen.
Dai extended the zellige tile backsplash to the ceiling, which helps bounce light around the room. Natural light was also a consideration when choosing the window treatments, which are woven linen-blend shades with a subtle pattern. “I wanted something that would feel soft and allow light through,” Dai says.
Window treatments: The Shade Store
Browse cabinet hardware in the Houzz Shop
Dai extended the zellige tile backsplash to the ceiling, which helps bounce light around the room. Natural light was also a consideration when choosing the window treatments, which are woven linen-blend shades with a subtle pattern. “I wanted something that would feel soft and allow light through,” Dai says.
Window treatments: The Shade Store
Browse cabinet hardware in the Houzz Shop
The designer integrated the vent hood by paneling it in the same tongue-and-groove paneling she used on the cabinetry. A second countertop cabinet with a glass door creates symmetry around the range. Dai used warm wood inside the display cabinets.
The special millwork continues on the island in the form of beaded drawer details and a glass cookbook cabinet with latch hardware. While the edges of the perimeter countertops are straight, Dai added a bullnose edge on the island countertops for softness.
The island has the same material palette as the rest of the room. But details like the beaded drawer fronts, cookbook display cabinet, feet, countertop edges and light fixture make it feel like a piece of furniture.
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The island has the same material palette as the rest of the room. But details like the beaded drawer fronts, cookbook display cabinet, feet, countertop edges and light fixture make it feel like a piece of furniture.
Find a local cabinet pro
As the design evolved, Dai wound up flanking the bar with the fridge on the left and the pantry cabinets on the right. This kept the fridge within the work triangle and provided symmetry around the integrated bar. The pantry cabinet has an appliance garage and conceals the microwave. “The fridge functions well here because you can unload ingredients onto the island,” Dai says. “And the bar sink can double as a prep sink when they cook together as a family.”
She repeated the wood used on the other open shelves above the bar for cohesiveness. These provide an open feel within the long wall of cabinetry, as well as another spot for displaying favorite items.
She repeated the wood used on the other open shelves above the bar for cohesiveness. These provide an open feel within the long wall of cabinetry, as well as another spot for displaying favorite items.
Dai repeated the tongue-and -groove paneling on this wall of cabinetry for a pleasingly seamless look. She used glass cabinet doors on this end so the family would have a view of favorite glassware, china and other heirlooms while seated at the banquette. “Looking at these objects brings them joy,” she says.
Dai placed the built-in banquette at the end of the cabinet run. The base of the banquette has drawers for additional storage. The soft green velvet upholstery brings in a sumptuous natural hue.
“Even though this is an eat-in area within a kitchen, I wanted to give them a full dining room feeling,” the designer says. So she went with an oval dining table that’s worthy of a formal dining room. It has a leaf so they can extend it when other family members and friends join them for meals.
“Even though this is an eat-in area within a kitchen, I wanted to give them a full dining room feeling,” the designer says. So she went with an oval dining table that’s worthy of a formal dining room. It has a leaf so they can extend it when other family members and friends join them for meals.
All three generations of the family gather comfortably around this table. Caned chairs bring in more texture, while the table’s soft curves are welcoming. Brass sconces add more warmth and light to the area.
“There’s an alchemy to designing a functional and beautiful kitchen,” Dai says. “There are so many components and different areas to integrate. A designer will help you make it look, feel and function the way that you want it to.”
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“There’s an alchemy to designing a functional and beautiful kitchen,” Dai says. “There are so many components and different areas to integrate. A designer will help you make it look, feel and function the way that you want it to.”
More on Houzz
Read more kitchen stories
Browse kitchen photos
Hire a kitchen remodeler
Shop for kitchen products
Kitchen at a Glance
Who lives here: A multigenerational family of five
Location: Pasadena, California
Size: 360 square feet (33 square meters)
Designer: Linette Dai
Having recently downsized to this bungalow, the family members found the existing 70-square-foot, U-shaped kitchen challenging when it came to storing all their kitchen tools, glassware, china and other items. There wasn’t enough room to work together. They also like to gather in the kitchen for meals, and there was no room for that.
Here’s an overall look at the new kitchen from the new family room addition. The former family room became part of the kitchen’s footprint. Dai proposed a gracefully arched opening between the two spaces. “This softened up the transition with ambiance,” she says.
The working part of the kitchen is L-shaped with an island in the middle. A long appliance, pantry, bar and storage wall runs along the right side of the room. Instead of splitting the space into a kitchen and separate dining room, the homeowners preferred an eat-in kitchen. So the designer included a built-in banquette on the left.
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