Elegant Kitchen Designed For Entertaining An open floor plan expands entertainment spaces visually and literally.

By Anne Patterson Furniture-like cabinets and granite countertops create an elegant appearance for this kitchen, which is open to the home's family room. Combining the kitchen and family room into one large space for gathering and entertaining is an increasingly popular trend. Olsen Homes' 5,793-square-foot, $1.7 million home in Lake Oswego, Ore., serves as an excellent example. The kitchen and family room flow together, with only two columns delineating the different areas. The kitchen's location allows guests and family members to converse easily with those preparing the meal. The home is Continental European in style, and in this context, the custom kitchen cabinets reflect tradition with rich furniture-like details and granite counters. The kitchen's elegant appearance has not diminished its practicality, as Brian Schmidt of Olsen Homes points out. "There are two main task areas, each with a sink, so two people can work simultaneously," Brian says. "The clean-up area with the 'farmhouse' sink has a dishwasher on either side. The prep sink with a high spout serves the commercial-style range." A farmhouse-style sink, flanked on both sides by dishwashers, and a second food prep area to the right make for a hard-working kitchen. The breakfast nook is located inside a bay window overlooking the rear deck. The central island has an overhang on one side for pull-up stools. "We have found that guests like to gather around an island while the host prepares the meal," Schmidt says. Several additional elements contribute to the kitchen's distinctive look. The flooring is rich Brazilian walnut with a sanded finish. The sink window and the range hood are crowned with similar elaborate moldings. The cabinets are painted a soft antique white. Scenic tile enlivens the backsplash above the range. Hanging pendant lights illuminate the island. The kitchen flows into the adjoining family room beyond the bay window, which serves as the breakfast area. In this kitchen even the lighting plays a role in entertaining. The home is equipped with a Crestron lighting-control system that can create a variety of scenes and can coordinate with other home automation systems. With a touch of a control panel, the lighting level can quickly change from one conducive to cooking tasks to one that sets the mood for entertaining. When a kitchen and family room flow together, the kitchen must be designed not only as a functional food preparation area but also as a distinctive part of the home's social entertainment area.