State-of-the-Art Central Park Kitchen, NY

This customized 300sf state-of-the-art kitchen with an adjacent 65sf pantry was fitted with the best equipment suitable for a commercial kitchen within a residential setting. Set within the same footprint, the kitchen/pantry was built to accommodate the in-house chef’s wishes for an efficient modernized kitchen. It was required to facilitate both intimate family gatherings as well as large formal sit-down banquets.

Built on a clean formal language, the design was based on the principles of ergonomics, functionality, and sustainability. Impractical crown mouldings and 6” square ceramic counter and wall tiles with thick difficult to clean gout lines were removed. All finish materials – including the predominate bamboo on full height doors and upper cabinets and white solid surface material on counters and wall paneling were selected for both sustainability and suitability to create a safe hygienic environment for food handling. Technically a grass, bamboo has become an increasingly popular material in high-end apartments in New York as a result of the sustainable movement. It is a natural anti-bacterial material that is also extremely durable. The lower cabinets housing plumbing and equipment were fabricated using high-pressure laminate, a very durable material with Greenguard certification. If damaged, a cabinet facing can be replaced without concern for colour variation from adjacent panels.

The lighting uses a combination of dimmable energy-efficient, low voltage halogen and 2700K warm white LED sources to provide bright, warm light while using significantly less energy than traditional incandescent sources, and yet provide a well-lit kitchen space when required.