Inside a Kitchen Designed to be Medically Sterile
A custom kitchen usually conjures images of farmhouse fixtures or a bevy of hidden storage, but when a surgeon commissioned a fully sterile space, designer Jim Dove molded cold steel to fit the confines of this turn-of-the-century Georgian home. Built to function as a restaurant-grade space for the homeowners to flex their muscles in experimental cuisine, the project pulled inspiration from familiar operating rooms and the French countryside to mix commercial appliances with vintage charm.
Since the homeowner required restaurant staples—like a commercial-grade salamander broiler and a 60-in. range—the kitchen was renovated to accommodate a custom hood. Built to withstand the extreme heat the appliances are capable of generating, the extensive ventilation work now allows all four ovens to run simultaneously without circulating extra heat through the home.
"As a surgeon, he wanted it to be like an operating room for cooking," Dove says. "Even the island's waterfall sides were to avoid wood and keep it as sterile as possible." Stainless steel runs beyond the extra-large appliances to the center island, a solid piece with a built-in sink and compost bin to make prep seamless. The foot-pump sink was pulled from the homeowner's time in hospitals, keeping fixtures germ-free.
The homeowner's love of cooking required extra storage to house countertop appliances and chef's tools away from precious prep space. The walk-in pantry serves as a tether to the rest of the home (with arched molding and minimal steel) while providing much needed shelving for any kitchen overflow.
"He wanted the entire thing stainless, but we added the wood just to warm it up a bit," Dove says of the surrounding cabinet space. Walnut peeks through smoked glass upper cabinets, the only traditional aspect of the space. Wrapped in stainless steel, the warm wood connects with the remainder of the steel appliances and is structured all built to hide clever details a home chef would dream about. "Now it's a commercial kitchen," Dove explains, "but it's a place the whole family wants to be."
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