The article opens with comments about theme of "openness," in terms of both the kitchen layout and how "keeping an open mind...made all the difference for David Risher and Jennifer Stewart when it came to getting the kitchen they wanted." It also "enabled the couple to take advantage of somewhat unorthodox design advice."

Background: Their home was built in 1915.  It has the dignity of an older residence (the article includes a picture of the home) but the kitchen, last updated in the 1980s, was incongruous, out of style, uncomfortable, and disconnected from the backyard. Countertops were gray; the main counter space was in one corner (facing away from the action); the view from the sink was of the side of the neighbor's house.

As if to taunt the couple, a beautiful and secluded backyard beckoned just outside, but access from the kitchen was awkward.  David and Jennifer soon grew tired of settling for less in their kitchen.  “I knew it could be more functional and certainly more beautiful,” Jennifer says.

Enter Mr. Landon who believes rooms should look great and work well but, more importantly, feel right.  David and Jennifer talked to several professionals about remodeling their kitchen, but Landon impressed the couple by focusing on how they wanted to live in the space.

Landon rejects much conventional wisdom about kitchen design, particularly the glorification of the work triangle—that sacred alignment of stove, refrigerator, and sink that’s supposedly necessary for optimum efficiency.

Landon has developed his own theory of kitchen design, clustering elements according to way people really use them.  “My whole theory of kitchen design is shaped around accessible and usable space,” he says.  “I don’t fit shapes into a space.  I shape spaces to fit the client.”

Landon notes that if kitchen planning is driven by "work triangle" thinking, only one of his ten "Work Zones" has been accommodated, too often resulting in a kitchen that is disconnected "from the reality of how people live and work.”

The article cites an example: the "snack zone."  This zone is particularly important if children will use the kitchen.  The elements involved are the refrigerator, silverware, dishes, and the microwave oven which must be situated so they can be used "without getting in the way of grown-ups preparing meals. “The whole idea is to minimize circulation,” Landon says.  “If you do that, you minimize stress.”

Landon believes every kitchen should have a place to which people will naturally gravitate to chat, "the gathering zone."  In the final layout, this zone is defined by the island.

Landon's inquiries are meant to surface more than a wish list of cabinet, appliance, and countertop preferences.  Jennifer and David's wish list included more light, easier backyard access, a better entry into the kitchen, and more room to just sit down, spread out, and hang out...“I asked them if they felt connected to the outside when they were in the kitchen,” he recalls.  “They said, ‘No.’” Making that connection formed the basis of his design.  He placed French doors to the backyard where a window had been and changed the entry into the kitchen slightly.  Now there’s a clear visual path from the front entry to the backyard...  For the extra seating the couple wanted, Landon turned a small back porch and pantry space into an eating nook with a banquette.

The article continues with a discussion of the materials Landon selected, indicating that he built on the home’s traditional elements and “pushed the envelope” a bit from there.  Cherry cabinets and slate tiles contribute a classic feel, but the stainless-steel countertops and appliances, along with the glass-top island, are definitely contemporary.

The writer also cites Landon's use of a 100-item storage inventory which defines the features of the kitchen, such as custom drawers, and will alter the layout in subtle but significant ways.  Landon's facility with cabinetry enables him to do more with less.

“Put your money into features instead of more cabinetry,” Landon advises.  “You want an open and airy kitchen, one that doesn’t feel like you’ve just walked into a cabinet showroom.  Leave enough room in the kitchen to express your personality.”

The article concludes:

The new sense of freedom and openness in the kitchen has even rubbed off on Jennifer a little.  Something of a perfectionist, she might normally be annoyed by the stainless-steel countertops, which get scratched up and develop a patina over time.  “But it hasn’t bothered me that it doesn’t look perfect,” she says.  “It’s been liberating.”
 

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