The 2016 HC&G IDA Winners: Kitchen Design

Who says eat-in kitchens need to be located indoors? The owner of this kitchen wanted to cook for his guests on the deck overlooking the ocean, so the architects installed an island large enough to accommodate all the requisite appliances.

The pièce de résistance: a double-sided wood-fired stove that also acts as a fireplace. Judge Ron Wendt says he’s “waiting for the party,” while judge Matthew Patrick Smyth would “love to be invited to dinner.”

This kitchen’s elements are minimal and sculptural, with a concrete island that appears to float inside the space, positioned to take in views through the floor-to-ceiling glass walls. “The island is well situated and nicely proportioned,” says judge Michael Haverland, while Wendt remarks on the “beautiful relationship” that the component parts have with the exterior.

The client for this kitchen, who hosts frequent parties and fundraisers, wanted a space that the designers describe as “urban cool in an otherwise serene beach house.” Black-stained oak shelves, an ample island, and reclaimed beams evoke a sleek, downtown vibe, something judge Russell Groves calls “very dramatic.”

To renovate this kitchen, designer Dale Cohen virtually started over, relocating the oven, refrigerator, wine cooler, and pantry to a back wall, installing minimal furnishings, and opening up the space to the house’s living room and media area. This “subtle and perfect solution for the house,” remarks Smyth, is “simple, clean, and unpretentious,” says Groves.