Kitchens
1. Fireside ChatDesigner: Mary Ludemann of New OldLocation: Fort Mill, South CarolinaSize: 305 square feet (28.3 square meters); 16½ by 18½ feet (5 by 5.6 meters)Homeowners’ request. This is designer Mary Ludemann’s personal kitchen. “I wanted to do something different than a large island, which we’ve had numerous times before,” she says. “We have a scullery and prep kitchen, so I didn’t need the extra working and storage space that the typical island provides. Instead, I wanted this kitchen to feel really personal and comfortable and to feel like the large working kitchens of the past, complete with a fireplace where our family, friends and dogs could gather.”Dining setup. An antique table surrounded by metal chairs. “We love using the antique table, as you just can’t hurt it,” Ludemann says. “If my husband forgets to put a trivet down before he sets down a hot pot, it doesn’t matter. If the kids are coloring and get marker etc. off their paper onto the table, no one cares. It looks great, gives the room character and can take an absolute beating without anyone noticing or caring. So different from my marble countertops or actual dining room table, for instance, where I insist eve...
2. Lake LoungeDesigner: Emily Griffin DesignLocation: Marmora on the Lake, Ontario, CanadaSize: 220 square feet (20.4 square meters); 10 by 20 feet (3 by 6 meters)Homeowners’ request. Update a lakeside cottage kitchen and give it a “comfortable, breezy and beachy vibe,” designer Emily Griffin says.Dining setup. “In every country kitchen I design, I try to put a harvest table in the center versus an island,” Griffin says. “I find it is much more conducive to hanging out, and because it is table height, not bar height, people stick around longer.”Other special features. Serving area and breakfast bar with reclaimed-wood open shelves. Industrial pendants. Two dishwashers.Browse harvest dining tables
Subtle design details help bring this kitchen to life. One such detail is the high shelf lined with pretty knickknacks; another is the gray feature wall. These little touches combine to create a warm, welcoming atmosphere.
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