| Secret Heart |
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| With the technical pieces tucked out of
sight, this kitchen gets to be more than the sum of its parts. |
"I'm actually the cheapest client I've ever worked
with," laughs Neil Banich as we tour the main floor of his 3,200-square-foot home.
Banich, one of the principals behind Wensley Architecture, bought the mid-century
bungalow in Vancouver's Shaughnessy neighbourhood in 2000 with his wife, Tracy.
When their son, Tyler, came along later that year, they realized they'd soon need
more space. "The problem is, we couldn’t build a very big house here,"
says Banich. “And, being Modernists, we didn’t want to waste square
footage on anything we’d never use.” So when they rebuilt in June
of 2006, the couple—who love to entertain, but don’t love to cook—
decided to forgo the formal dining room and make their kitchen "disappear."
A white ceramic cooktop blends into the white countertop, fold-down cupboards
shelter small appliances and wood panels hide cooking vents. Add in a shelf-full
of objects d'art and you might think you're in someone's living room or office.
And you'd be right. The Banich "non-kitchen” is all of those things:
living space, workspace, cooking space. "For us, the kitchen's the hub of
the house," says Banich. "All the other rooms are just spokes."
By Matt O'Grady
Photos by John Gaucher
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Colour is Key
Banich's warm colour palette includes a punch
of red from the Foscarini Big Bang chandelier, an Arctic white CeasarStone counter,
grey ceramic backsplash tiles and rich walnut cabinetry. |
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Location Vancouver
Space 3,200 sq. ft.
Signature Style
Warm modern that
isn’t afraid to be
playful: just look at
that chandelier! |
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| The Island Getaway
"Since we never used the old dining room, we decided to
build this massive island instead," explains Banich. The white CaesarStone countertop,
with its matching ceramic cooktop, has a three-quarter-inch edge to make it look
more like a table. This is where Tyler does his homework, Neil rolls out his drawings
and Tracy reads her morning paper. And here's the kicker for the family that doesn't
cook: at 9 1/2 by 7 feet, the island (which also conceals an oven and double dishwasher)
can seat 10. Their old dining room sat only six. |
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| The Invisible Vent
While the cooktop is virtually invisible, its usage raises
the question: how to vent the steam? To keep the design seamless, Banich hid the
mechanics of a hood and fan into the ceiling; laser-cuts in the wood panels allow
for ventilation. The walnut used in the vent panels is carried through to the
panelling above the fireplace, as well as to the shelving above the sink, creating
a kind of centre line for the house. |
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| Open Up
Owner-designer Neil Banich's tips for working with an open-concept kitchen
Hide It Not all kitchens need to look like they belong in a
restaurant: hide as many appliances from view as you can.
Store It Include a small walk-in pantry to replace upper cabinets.
It has the bonus of reducing millwork costs while giving the kitchen a sleeker,
more modern look.
Work It In a smaller footprint, larger islands in place of more
linear counters are great for providing ample work space, as well as for hosting
dining parties.
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| The Floating Fridge
The Baniches decided that, being taller folk, they'd lift
their stainless steel fridge 15 inches off the ground to allow for easier access.
("It also gives us one shelf that our son can't reach. Yet." Nestled in a
bay window-like enclosure, the fridge also protrudes 30 inches from the house's
exterior—as far back as the City allows. "It's still not perfectly flush.
I was kind of hoping to put up a track and have this oversized oil painting to
slide over and cover 2."
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| The Designer Shelf
"In our old place, we had an open shelf where we kept our
everyday dishes," says Banich. "But because we didn't want this to look like
a kitchen, we've reserved this area for display items, small art pieces and a
TV." As for the "everyday dishes," they're artfully hidden in the slide-out walnut
cupboards and dark fir drawers that bookend the space. A pantry holds jars, cans
and boxes. |
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