Building Study: An Alternative Non-Kitchen

When does a full sized kitchen need to disappear?

Normally, YesterTec makes Kitchen Workstation Furniture(KWF) that is designed to help kitchens blend into adjacent dining rooms, family rooms or great rooms by using the same design concept (furniture) that is used in all the other rooms of the house. This technique eliminates the ‘laboratory’ look of continuous cabinetry and countertops and exposed appliances. By hiding the appliances as well, the integrity of each piece is uncompromised when the kitchen is not being used. KWF can be used to reduce the ‘kitcheny’ appearance of just about any kitchen layout. Still, the individual pieces take up floor space and are prominent visual features in the room.

But what if you want to reduce the visual presence of a full-sized kitchen even more? What if your multi-purpose room needs a kitchen that can almost disappear when it is not being used?

You might need the kitchen to disappear:

1. When an exposed kitchen would compromise the other activities in a multi-purpose room.

2. When an exposed kitchen would compromise the visual emphasis of the room.

3. When the kitchen is a pre-20^th C. ‘Period’ style kitchen that can show no modern design features at all.

4. When an exposed kitchen would compromise a minimalist design.

5. When floor space allocated to the kitchen must be reduced.

6. When a kitchen needs to share the SAME space as another non-cooking activity.

Our solution involves using YesterTec’s freestanding models in a different way. Recessing them into the wall and using the models that hide the appliances AND the countertop, a kitchen can effectively disappear, a Stealth Kitchen! In most residential situations, it is an extreme measure to hide the sink behind doors, since it is the most used fixture in the kitchen. But the point here is that it can be done.

Here are a few examples that show how kitchens can effectively disappear by recessing YesterTec’s kitchen modules into the wall.

In this residence (a similar but smaller version of the design shown above), the multi-purpose Great-Room can be seen instantly from the front entrance (located behind the dining table). Guests and family alike are always exposed to the kitchen, even at times when the kitchen is not needed. By reducing the visual impact of the kitchen, the focus of the room is on the living areas. This example shows a built-in Refrigerator and Pantry flanking the concealed Range. The messy countertop of the Sink workstation/island is blocked by the Storage piece on top of the island.

In a commercial setting, such as an executive meeting/hospitality room, where formal meetings are prefaced or followed by informal social time, an exposed messy kitchen is not desirable. This example illustrates a very formal room with a full sized kitchen concealed in three sections; on the left is the refrigerator/pantry, the center section conceals the oven, cooktop, micro/oven/hood and plenty of counter space and storage, and the right section conceals the sink, dishwasher and more counter space and storage. The countertops are concealed by pocket doors. The doors that conceal the ovens and cooktop have YesterTec’s patented U.L. Listed safety features that allow the appliances to operate only when the doors are open. The buffet/bar/planning/work table(in front of the three sections) supports the meeting, socializing and/or dining modes of the room.

An open-plan, ultra modern, minimalist residential designusually requires sleek, understated kitchen designs. The emphasis of these rooms is often the view (to the exterior through large glass panels), the objects within the space (such as select pieces of furniture, sculpture etc.) and/or the volume and character of the space itself. Cluttered countertops and fussy cabinetry are not welcome in these rooms. This example that utilizes YesterTec's line of Stealth Kitchen Modules, has a soaring ceiling with exposed beam/ties, large ceramic floor tiles and an understated built-in kitchen that conceals everything. Dominating views to the exterior are on both sides, the living area is behind the camera. The two tables and even the pendant lights become pieces of sculpture in this minimalist design.