Intersting Alternative : The Non-Kitchen Kitchen

You talk about designing a "room you happen to cook in." How does it differ from traditional kitchens?
It's all about feeling. l like my kitchens to feel more like other rooms in a home— rooms that are comfortable to be in.

How do you achieve this feeling?
We've designed kitchens without upper cabinets; instead, we incorporate open shelves that can be used to display more than dishes- sculpture, perhaps.

What other elements make up the “non-kitchen" kitchen? 
Such a kitchen feels very built-in. In this kitchen, for instance, one wall has a "hearth," which is the hood and windows. Another wall has a built—in Welsh cupboard, but it looks more like freestanding furniture. We always try to make room for seating so that people can literally sit in the kitchen. And most of the appliances are concealed.

How does the non-kitchen approach differ from more traditional approaches?
Rather than selecting a bunch of cabinets and organizing them, we design a room where you want to spend time, then outfit it with the cabinets and caseworks that support both comfort and function.