The kitchen was the place to be. Countless birthday celebrations, the ‘review of our report cards’, talk of the weather, news, gossip, and planning the day’s activities, along with cooking and eating took place in the kitchen.

We were nine siblings, but in addition, our home was open to many others – extended family, friends and neighbors were all welcome. All day long and into the early hours of the morning, you were likely to find someone in the kitchen. Friends would make themselves at home, opening the cookie cabinet or talking with my mother. The night owls in the family could be found reading and drinking coffee after midnight. Party goers returning from a night out entered the house through the kitchen back door.

Why was the kitchen the center of the house?

As head of the design team at Four Brothers, I design spaces to meet a client’s lifestyle. My family’s kitchen provided critical insight into planning – for both functional and social purposes.

Here are four design components to address if you are considering hiring a Washington DC kitchen contractor:

• The kitchen was on axis with the front door, which was the formal entrance to the house.
  Typically, everyone entered through the back door into the eating area of the kitchen. It functioned as a mudroom as well as a place for hellos and goodbyes.
• A remodel in the 50s opened the kitchen and connected the working areas with the eating area. This planning decision allowed for conversation and interaction between everyone.
• The dimensions of the working kitchen and eating area provided a functional kitchen and room for a large table. The proximity of the 2 spaces to each other and the intimacy of the eating area allowed everyone to participate in a conversation, and for multiple conversations to occur simultaneously.
• A large window in the seating area brought light into the space and a connection to the happenings outside

Planning your kitchen

You may dream of a central kitchen, or you may prefer separation from the rest of the house. It is a personal and lifestyle choice. The design team at Four Brothers uses your lifestyle as the foundation for planning your kitchen spaces. We’ll take time with you at the beginning of the design phase, ask lots of questions, and learn about how you live and cook. Once we have a good understanding of your wishes and the limitations of the current space, we’ll be ready to work with you on the design of the new space.