Exotic kitchen looks captivating at the cottage
Not for a minute do I take for granted a coveted cottage invitation from friends who are fortunate enough to own one and generous enough to share it. Over the years, I’ve learned how to secure the elusive second invite of the season. On the first visit, I make my signature guacamole; I then dose everyone mid- afternoon with my killer 3- 2- 1 margaritas, and bring enough food to allow my hostess to scratch a few things off her grocery list. And then about three weeks later, the email comes asking if I’m free for an upcoming weekend. Oh, and could I possibly make those margaritas again? A recent weekend was a second weekend invite that included all my usual cottage tricks — plus one more: design advice. No sooner had I unpacked my cooler bags, when my hostess announced she wanted to redo the kitchen. And what did I think? When I tell you this is a cottage, I mean this is a real cottage. Somehow in no more than 1,000 square feet, there are four bedrooms ( with drapes for doors) a bathroom ( with walls as soundproof as toilet paper) and a combined living/ dining and kitchen. There is also a screened- in porch for breezy dinners and afternoon naps on a daybed. The entire cottage interior is lined with cedar, and for as long as I’ve been going there the conversation, at some point over the weekend, always turns to whether it should be painted white. My hostess notes that if she paints the walls, the cottage will no longer have the cedar smell we all breathe in deeply the moment we enter. She makes a good point. Considering the cedar walls, I have difficulty accepting her proposed white kitchen shoved into the corner off the living area. White cabinets would work if she painted the walls white. I propose an Asian- inspired kitchen. An unexpected suggestion to be sure, but since discovering this style of kitchen years ago from Greentea Design ( greenteadesign.com), I have wanted to place one for a client. I call the owner of Greentea Design, Dale Storer. He tells me U. S. designers spec his kitchens sight unseen over the Internet, and that they have built three for homes in Hawaii, including South
Park creator Trey Parker’s in Kauai. Clients work with Storer’s in- house kitchen designer, to plan the specifics and then everything is made and shipped from Greentea’s workshop in Korea. The cabinetry is built from reclaimed beams of either elm or ginkgo using traditional Japanese construction. Clients have a choice of stains, door styles and hardware. Hoping to garner the title of “best cottage guest,” I’ve offered to help my friend plan her Greentea kitchen. It won’t be as large as the one pictured here, but we will reconfigure the space to allow for an island and signature details such as cabinets inspired from a Japanese tea chest and double sliding drawers in the island. I may even find myself with the never heard- of third invite of the season!