Beauty, though, still key to LaurelBrooke home entered in GE contest

By CATHI AYCOCK
For Williamson A.M.
Friday, 06/22/07

FRANKLIN — A dream kitchen is at the top of almost every homebuyers list. But the dream has gone way beyond granite countertops and stainless appliances. These days the dream is about function and form.

"In the past, when we talked about upgrades in a kitchen, you talked about granite counters and stainless appliances. The function of the refrigerator did not change, but what it looked like did. Now, we want the beauty of the dream kitchen, but homebuyers also want a kitchen that goes beyond the stove, dishwasher and refrigerator," said Carrie Maechler, interior design coordinator with Southern Land Co.

Maechler designed what she considers to be one of "the most beautiful kitchens ever" at the Whitworth model in LaurelBrooke, and entered it in the 2007 General Electric Dream Kitchen contest.

"While it didn't win, frankly, I think it should have," she said.

Maechler says she wanted the kitchen to be about more than just looking good.

"Mini appliances, those extra appliances that make entertaining and cooking easier, are really big right now. They add so much in terms of quality for a dream kitchen," Maechler said. And the hottest of those are dishwashing drawers, warming drawers, wine reserves and ovens that double as microwaves.

"A dishwashing drawer is about half the size of a regular dishwasher. Sometimes we will stack them or put them on opposite sides of a sink. If you have a small load, you can wash in one without waiting for a full-size washer to fill up. Or, if you have china, you can wash that separately on a gentle cycle.

"A warming drawer is perfect if you entertain. You can make a dish, keep it warm until the guests are ready to eat. And they also now have extra features like a steam option, so they can be used for cooking too," she said.

The model home's dream kitchen has a double butler's pantry with a wine reserve, which keeps wine at a specific temperature. It also has an ice maker.

"The ice maker is great for large parties. It looks like the ice makers you might see in a bar at a restaurant. Really, so much of these mini appliances is about entertaining."

Maechler says the trend toward having friends and family gather in the kitchen drives its design.

"You have a big party, and everyone ends up in the kitchen. That is why this kitchen was given so much attention to detail. We had the hutch custom made, so that it looks like an antique piece of furniture. But again, we wanted form and function. We left room for a big flat screen in the hutch. If you want to watch the big game and have a party, the kitchen is an option."

Maechler says the day-to-day cooking is not lost in the dream kitchen design however.

"The stove is and will always be the most important feature. It is the one thing you are going to use practically every day," she said. The range is dual fuel with six burners and a griddle. A gourmet cook, or the every day macaroni and cheese cook is going to love the range. Another great option we added is an advantium. It basically is an oven that can double as a microwave. It can also cook super fast. So you can cook, say, a turkey, in about ¼ the time. Again, great for the everyday cooking."

Maechler says that while the appliances are the working winners in this kitchen, she didn't design solely for function.

"Of course we wanted the kitchen to be beautiful, and it is. The design we wanted was an old-world feel. We used brown antique granite, tumbled stone backsplash, seeded glass doors and furniture-style cabinetry to give it the beauty and timeless appeal."

Still, a dream kitchen is way more than just an upgrade to beauty.

"A kitchen with this level of design is one that will never go out of style. The appliances are top of the line, and they are the kind of upgrades that you will use daily," Maechler said.

Click here to read this article at TheTennessean.com and to see photos of the Kitchen.