Putting the Kitchen Before the House

When Donna and Ron Sagel began planning their retirement, they knew their priorities. Over the years they had visited the Lowcountry of South Carolina a number of times and knew that would be their relocation target. Donna was completing a successful career at one of the major pharmaceutical firms and was looking forward to playing a daily match of tennis. Likewise, Ron was contemplating the opportunity to play golf on a year-round basis after many years as a successful software engineer and entrepreneur.

So far this sounds like a story being told time and again in communities throughout the coastal Carolinas. The difference comes with the Sagel’s passion for food and wine. If you don’t find them dining in one of Charleston’s many fine restaurants they will be at home concocting a gourmet meal. Friends soon learn that nearly every conversation leads to a discussion of a new recipe or vintage discov­ered on the Internet or from one of their inter­national network of like minded associates.

During nearly 30 years of townhouse living in metro Philadelphia, Donna had become an accomplished baker and Ron a master cook. In the tight confines of their kitchen they jointly pre­pared meals that never failed to impress mem­bers of their circle of friends. Now they had the opportunity to design and build their dream home. On their next visit to the Charleston area they toured a number of new homes in a variety of neighborhoods.

“ It is not unusual for two cooks to share a kitchen; but in this case they planned to cook together most of the time,” says Acker. To address this, separate cooking areas were established.”

The kitchen in one of the homes caught their attention. It was a large open kitchen with 18-foot ceilings intersected by a three-sided flying bridge. Donna and Ron now had the core idea for their new home. While the rest of that par­ticular house plan did not meet their needs, they were sure they could build the rest of the house around this kitchen concept. Now it was time to call in the experts. After pur­chasing an attractive lot in the Hidden Lakes neighborhood of suburban Mount Pleasant, they contacted Duval Acker, owner of Kitchens by Design and general contractor, Tom Bellino of Low Country Custom Builders, Inc. In essence they asked Tom to build them a home around the selected kitchen and Duval to design the kitchen to meet their cook­ing and entertaining requirements.

The result of the collaboration is a beautiful home that’s centerpiece is a 600 square foot gourmet kitchen opening to both a smaller living room and dining room. A magnificent two-story copper hood separates the kitchen from the dining area. The design leaves no doubt that this kitchen serves for entertaining as well as cooking. In fact, the Sagels frequently invite guests to join them in preparing meals — a throw back to traditional community cooking events.

Kitchen designer Acker’s challenge was to establish work areas to accommodate two cooks with different styles and requirements. “It is not unusual for two cooks to share a kitchen; but in this case they planned to cook together most of the time,” says Acker. To address this, separate cooking areas were established. At one end is Donna’s baking area equipped with double ovens and a large two-tiered granite is­land. To provide Donna the perfect height for rolling dough, the lower surface is a cus­tom 31½ inches tall. This area is also close to the pantry, cabinets con­taining baking utensils and a convenient pull out mixer. The island has a large sink and dis­posal and is unique in its shape and construction. The tapered structure has a raised level with seat­ing at the wide end and a small section on rollers with a butcher-block top at the narrow end. This portion of the island can be moved to Ron’s sec­tion of the kitchen when required for prep work.

A 48-inch Viking range top with griddle and gas burners is his primary cooking instrument. The Sub-Zero refrigera­tor is close by and on the other side of the range is a GE Ad­vantium oven that uses a new technology which cooks with light and functions as both a microwave and speed cooker. Conveniently placed between the two cooking areas are a large sink and several Fisher Paykel dishwasher drawers. To eliminate unnecessary bending and stooping all the bottom cabinets have pull out drawers rather than shelves.

Each aspect of the kitchen reflects thought and planning. Builder Bellino placed widows to maximize natural lighting and called on his sub-contractors to add their areas of exper­tise. One example is the flexible metal task lighting spanning the flying bridge structure. This kitchen leaves a lasting im­pression and the hope one will be invited back soon to enjoy one of the Sagel’s signature dinners.

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