Kosher Kitchens - Why they may be the Greatest Shown on Earth

I'm not the P.T. Barnum of blogging, kitchen design or Jewish dietary laws. But when you're called upon to double storage, clean-up and food preservation capability to meet Kosher requirements, you've got to be pretty darned strategic in your design plan.

That results in a kitchen that uses every inch of its space wisely and well, and some of the industry's latest appliance innovations. And, heck, isn't that good faith design for everyone!


Kosher Basics

The requirement of separating meat and dairy products is the Kosher tenet that has the greatest impact on kitchen planning, as it requires not only separate clean-up and storage of these food groups, but separate dishes, utensils and cookware to prepare them. You can see how this calls for smarter, if not increased, storage capacity.

There are many other facets of this ancient dietary code, including the use of separate materials altogether for the annual observance of Passover, and not working on the Sabbath, which translates to not cooking from Friday evening until Saturday evening in Kosher homes. All of them have an impact on kitchen planning for observant households.


Pots and Pans Storage

Every kitchen design starts with a plan, which includes appliances that meet the homeowners' wants and needs, and storage to accommodate their foodstuffs, food preparation equipment and clean-up gear. As I mentioned above, Kosher kitchens need double capacity storage to accommodate two sets of pots, pans, cooking and eating utensils.

To achieve this, I'm going to ensure that every base cabinet has dual roll-out trays. Substituting a roll-out for a typical cabinet's center half-shelf increases each cabinet's storage by close to 25 percent. Four base cabinets with double roll-outs, then, can accommodate eight standard bases' worth of pots and pans in the same floor space, (without doubling the cabinet cost or moving a single wall). This takes care of the separate pots and pans issues.

Roll-out Trays from Omega Cabinetry

Silverware Storage

Not all cabinet drawers are equal. Some - like Kraftmaid's - are taller than others, which not only makes for friendlier ladle and sandwich bag storage, but can accommodate a two-tiered silverware divider. I'm going to incorporate at least two sets of tiered dividers, one for meat utensils and one for the dairy set, to store the doubled capacity needed for my kosher clients. The larger, bottom tier, will hold their regular forks, knives and spoons. The smaller, upper tier will hold meat- or dairy-specific serving utensils. (Non-Kosher homeowners who have two different sets of serving utensils or extra hostess sets, will appreciate this increased storage, as well.)

Harmony Storage Solution
Wood Tiered Cutlery Divider from Kraftmaid

Cooking Utensil Storage

If the cooktop or range fronts a wall, two separate backsplash organizers can accommodate larger utensils for meat and dairy preparation on either side of the cooking surface. (I'm not a fan of organizers directly behind the burners, as it's easy to imagine someone getting burned in the process of reaching above a hot pot to get something hanging there.) If the homeowner prefers, separate crocks or drawers with tiered organizers can hold these utensils instead, but this takes up valuable counter or drawer space. Backsplashes tend to be under-developed kitchen real estate.


Plate Storage

Kosher kitchens have two sets of plates for every day use, one dedicated to dairy meals, one to meat meals. Most of today's open plan kitchens have fewer wall cabinets, the traditional storage spot for dishes and cups. My suggestion for overcoming this dual challenge in a Kosher kitchen is deep drawers with divider systems for dishware. One pan drawer cabinet with its standard upper drawer - equipped with the tiered utensil caddy mentioned above - and its two tall lower drawers can be a dedicated meat serveware cabinet. Its twin will be the dedicated dairy serveware cabinet.

Large Drawer Peg System from Rev-A-Shelf

This approach has an additional benefit for some clients: It allows their children to take on the dishwasher unloading chore without climbing on counter tops to reach upper cabinets.


Clean-up Needs

As you might suspect, Kosher kitchens call for separate cleaning of meat and dairy serveware and cookware. Not every home can accommodate two full-sized dishwashers. The double dishwasher drawer fits this situation neatly. It fits in the same 24" space as a standard model, but can separate loads by meal type. If the kitchen has extra space, two 18" or 24" dishwashers can be helpful. I would plan a dedicated serveware cabinet next to each for maximum efficiency - i.e., meat dishwasher next to meat cabinet and dairy dishwasher next to dairy cabinet.

GE Monogram 18" Integrated Dishwasher

Some Kosher homeowners require separate sinks; others don't, according to their interpretation of Kashrut, (Kosher doctrine). If a homeowner wants dual sinks, but doesn't want to greatly extend plumbing lines (and plumbing costs), to remodel an existing kitchen in their new home, side by side single sinks can minimize the added cost. If space and budget allow, a second completely separate sink is an extraordinary convenience for a busy kitchen.

I would consider creating separate meat and dairy zones for the Kosher kitchen, each with its own sink, dishwasher and serveware storage, if space allows. This zoned approach will be a time- and step-saver for the Kosher homeowner. It also melds beautifully with the dual island configuration popular in many larger new kitchens.


Cold Food Storage

Fresh and frozen food storage are where Kosher kitchens require extraordinarily increased flexibility, if not capacity. Two recent appliance innovations make the meat-dairy separation easier in this respect.

One is the column. These are individual built-in, full-height refrigerator and freezer units that typically range from 18" to 30" wide. Someone could, of course, have two completely separate refrigerator/freezer appliances in the same kitchen, but this will probably create more freezer storage than is typically desired. The greater need for many households - including the Kosher home - is for fresh food capacity. Choosing fridge and freezer sizes that match the homeowner's specific shopping patterns are ideal. (A non-Kosher homeowner who hunts would find extra freezer storage for boar and venison to be more useful, and could do a wider freezer column than, say, the owner of a home-based day care center who needs a wider fridge for juice, milk and fruit.)

Gaggenau Refrigerator and Wine Columns

The other innovation that helps the Kosher homeowner is point-of-use refrigeration. These under-countertop models come in single drawer, double-drawer and full-height versions. They can be dedicated to meat or dairy, as needed.

Taking this concept a mile farther is Fisher & Paykel. Its innovative CoolDrawer debuted at the 2008 Kitchen/Bath Industry Show and serves as either a refrigerator or freezer, depending on the homeowner's changing needs. That's right: For Thanksgiving, it can be an extra freezer for your turkey and pies. For Fourth of July it can be a refrigerator holding your picnic treats. For Passover, it can store your Seder meal. How flexible can you get!

Fisher & Paykel's CoolDrawer

Point-of-use refrigeration in general is handy for most households. It can add a drink station near the family room, or a vegetable crisper in an island. It can help out in a game room, morning kitchen or even a garage.


Cooking and Reheating

Kosher homeowners don't cook on the Sabbath, following one of the other tenets of Judaic observance. To meet their families' desire for a hot meal on Saturday, they can employ the convenience of a warming drawer. This allows them to cook before sundown on Friday and warm the food for breakfast, lunch or dinner the next day. How convenient this appliance is for families with divergent work, school and extra-curricular schedules, too. There are many ranges with warming drawers, even microwaves with warming capability, or they can be installed as a separate appliance.


"Kosher" Countertops

Kosher homeowners who select granite, marble or wood countertops subject those them to a complex "Kashering" process. Quartz (aka engineered stone) countertops do not undergo this process. Nor do they require the sealing or maintenance that granite and wood tops entail. For this reason, I recommend them to seniors who want an easy lifestyle or parents of active children who need the convenience.

Cambria Quartz Countertops are UMKosher-certified

Sabbath Settings

There is a very extensive set of appliance guidelines relating to Sabbath modes for appliances that don't apply to non-Kosher kitchens. The best source of information on this topic is the Star-K web site. The site offers extensive information for the Kosher homeowner, and a "Kosher for the Clueless but Curious" guidebook.


Kosher for Passover

Passover involves additional rituals that Kosher homeowners observe. Among them are an extra set of dishes and glasses. Since they're only used during the annual Passover observance, I recommend storing them outside the key kitchen work areas. I suggest the same storage principle for non-Kosher homeowners with small appliances and serveware they use only infrequently. Find a location convenient to the kitchen, but not in this everyday work zone.

Built-ins, like these from Fieldstone Cabinetry,
create ideal storage for occasional use kitchen items

Final Thoughts

When I was growing up in New York City, I used to see ads on TV for Levy's rye bread. Their tag line was, "You don't have to be Jewish to love Levy's." If this blog posting had a tag line of its own, that would be pretty close! So... Happy Passover. Happy Easter. And so very happy to be enjoying life as a designer of kitchens and baths for everyone!


Coming Soon on Gold Notes:

4/22 Green Design for Earth Day
5/5 First reports from the 2009 Kitchen/Bath Industry Show

ISLAND FEVER II - EQUIPPING THE DREAM

Aruba. Bermuda. Barbados. Microwaves and wine chillers. Wait, what??? Yes, it's island season, that time of year when your thoughts turn to holiday entertaining and holiday escapes.

Maybe you're looking for an escape from an over-crowded kitchen, too. Will adding an island provide an idyll for this hardest-working room in your house? Let's consider the possibility.

Last week, you read ISLAND FEVER I: SIZING UP YOUR OPTIONS, and determined that you can make an island work and that you're going to make the investment. You also determined how you want that space to function. After proper sizing, function planning is the most important aspect to making an island pay off for you.


AGAIN, ASK YOURSELF WHY

In Island Fever I, I mentioned the following reasons for adding an island to your kitchen:

* Increase your kitchen storage
* Add an additional work zone
* Add a specialty function - e.g., baking center
* Facilitate a Kosher lifestyle
* Add an entertaining center

Read no further before you decide what role your island will play in your kitchen improvement. Any one of them is fine - you can even come up with something else on your own - you just need to define its job before you proceed.




INCREASE YOUR KITCHEN STORAGE

If increasing your storage capacity is your primary goal, determine what will "live" in that space and how best to access it. For example:

* Your existing drawers are overflowing: A trio of four-drawer banks, each with built-in organizers, tame the clutter.

* You just got married and need room for your beloved's cast iron skillet collection, your Calphalon set and your wedding registry's All-Clad: You opt for base cabinets with roll-out trays in each, and a ceiling-mounted pot rack for the ones you use most often.

* You got a juicer to get healthy and need space to store it, along with all the fruits and vegetables you're going to blend: One base cabinet with a built-in knife holder drawer and roll-out trays for the juicer's accessories, one with a lift for the heavy juicer itself and a dual drawer under-counter refrigerator for the fruits and vegetables you'll be juicing.


ADD AN ADDITIONAL WORK ZONE

What tasks does that work zone need to perform. Will it cook? Clean up? Prepare meals? Re-heat? A well-equipped work zone will encompass strategic appliances, appropriate counter top material and well-appointed storage, (as shown in the juice-making example, above). Here are two examples:

* Your island clean up station has a deep sink, garbage disposal and pull-out faucet, a dishwasher and pull out dual trash bins for garbage and recycling. The cabinet holding the sink has a rack for your cleaning supplies. A narrow, open cabinet next to that features a pull-out rack for your dish towels. If space allows, you also have a divided, deep drawer bank for your Tupperware collection, so that left-overs can be conveniently gathered and sealed.



* Your island cooking station is equipped with an induction cooktop, countertop-mounted pot filler, convection-steam oven, (my December '08 Gold Nugget Award winner), ceiling-mounted ventilation hood and warming drawer - everything you need to get dinner on the table, at whatever time everyone eats. It also includes a base cabinet with top drawer organizer and roll-out trays to keep your cooking essentials at hand.


Both of these work stations feature quartz countertops for durability and easy maintenance. Despite their well-respected heat resistance, you keep a trivet nearby for hot pots and pans if all of your induction burners are occupied.


ADD A SPECIALTY FUNCTION

These are always fun to plan, because they cater to the homeowner's passions and bring together the client's inspirations and designer's knowledge in a true partnership. Here are two examples:

* The island baking center has a convection-steam oven, base mixer stand cabinet, tray base for cookie sheets and three-drawer base with top drawer organizers to separate measuring spoons from whisks and whisks from spatulas and dividers below to hold your measuring cups, mixing bowls and other baking favorites. You also opted for a non-porous, engineered stone countertop for rolling your dough and easy clean-up afterward.

* The entertaining center features U-Line's ice maker/fridge/freezer, which I featured in my Multi-Taskers posting last summer, and a dual-zone wine captain. It also includes a bar sink and a three-drawer bank for accessories like wine charms, corkscrews and bottle openers (above) and deep divided drawers for non-refrigerated bottles below. If desired, shallow storage on the back allows for a raised standing bar and spot for serveware. If seating is preferred, factor in serveware storage in a more accessible spot. A decorative glass top, like those from ThinkGlass, offers a splashy focal point for an entertainment center island. It also offers easy clean-up. Handsome focal point alternatives could be wood or concrete. Unlike glass slab, both require some maintenance to preserve their integrity and beauty.




STYLE NOTES

An island gives you a great opportunity to upgrade your kitchen and even add some much-needed style to a dated space. However, since the island and the rest of your appliances and cabinetry share the same visual space, you're best served by coordinating looks, not clashing.



Here are a few tips for the most common builder kitchens I've encountered:

* Let's say your kitchen has golden oak cabinets, dark green laminate countertops, dark tan floor tiles and black appliances. Your island can feature dark green or black painted cabinets and paneled appliances in a similar door style. The dark green cabinets would look great with black tops, and vice versa. Select hardware for your island and add it to the cabinets on the periphery. If the island features a prep sink, choose a bar faucet and a companion main faucet to replace your existing one.

* Let's say your kitchen has white laminate cabinets, white appliances and a light, flecked laminate countertop. Your floors are a beige tile. Choose one of the accent colors in the laminate flecked top, (e.g., light blue or light green) and opt for painted cabinets in that color. Choose a light, solid-color top and paneled appliances.

* Let's say your kitchen has faux walnut cabinets, almond appliances, beige tile tops and floors. If your budget doesn't allow for tearing it all out, replace all your appliances with stainless ones to add some brightness; choose painted black island cabinets to tie into the darker tones in the walnut-grained ones surrounding it, (and coordinate with future replacements), and opt for a solid-toned cream-colored slab countertop. Update all the hardware and faucets with stainless, as well, for more shine. A nifty - extremely durable - sink to consider is one of Blanco's Silgranit models in its handsome Café Brown. It'll tie in with your existing brown cabinets and remind you of how far you've come when you finally replace them!


FINAL THOUGHTS

Adding an installed island to your kitchen is likely to invoke local code issues. Be sure to engage a local professional to ensure that your island is properly wired, plumbed, equipped, sized and planned. This will provide you and future homeowners with a safe, enjoyable addition to your home.


PHOTO NOTES

AGAIN, ASK YOURSELF WHY: This island really cooks. It features a hood, oven, cooktop and Brookhaven semi-custom cabinetry from Wood-Mode, featured on the company's web site.

ISLAND CLEAN-UP STATION: This large island that I co-designed for a local family features a dishwasher, trash center, sink and convenient storage for baggies, tin foil, Tupperware, etc.

ISLAND COOKING STATION: This island features a Miele DA424 hood that elevates when not in use, preserving views and conversation sight lines for the cook.

THE ENTERTAINING CENTER: This island features a bar sink, a full suite of entertaining-friendly appliances and a strikingly-beautiful ThinkGlass countertop, shown on the company's web site.

STYLE NOTES: Your island doesn't have to match the rest of your kitchen, but it should coordinate. Here's a beautiful example featuring Dynasty by Omega semi-custom cabinets from the manufacturer's web site.

ISLAND FEVER I - SIZING UP YOUR OPTIONS

This is high season in Hawaii, the Caribbean… and your kitchen. All three experience heavy traffic and potential burn-out during the holidays.

If you’ve got island fever, let me break out a few planning tips before you raid your piggy bank.


ASK YOURSELF WHY

Some clients want an island (or two!) because everyone else and every kitchen magazine has one – or more.




Even these clients need to figure out what they want to do with these structures, and how they want to equip them. There are wonderful reasons to add an island:

* Increase your kitchen storage
* Add an additional work zone
* Add a specialty function – e.g., baking center
* Facilitate a Kosher lifestyle
* Add an entertainment center

Decide what you want your island to help you achieve before you purchase or install one. Knowing your goals in advance will get you the best outcome.





SIZE UP YOUR SPACE

Not all homes were designed for islands, and trying to cram one (or more) into an inadequate space will make working in your kitchen worse, not better. You can, potentially, pull down a wall to make an island work, as some clients do.

If you’re not up for that scale of project, grab a measuring tape, use the National Kitchen & Bath Association planning guidelines noted below, and see if an island will fit into your existing kitchen.

Then, check out Jamie’s Proven Island Test.

6. Work Aisle

The width of a work aisle should be at least 42” for one cook and at least 48” for multiple cooks. Measure between the counter frontage, tall cabinets and/or appliances.




3. Distance Between Work Centers

No work triangle leg intersects an island/peninsula or other obstacle by more than 12”.


7. Walkway

The width of a walkway [behind an island] should be at least 36”.


8. Traffic Clearance at Seating

In a seating area where no traffic passes behind a seated diner, allow 32” of clearance from the counter/table edge to any wall or other obstruction behind the seating area.

a. If traffic passes behind the seated diner, allow at least 36” to edge past.
b. If traffic passes behind the seated diner, allow at least 44” to walk past.





NOTE: These are NKBA Planning Guidelines. State or local codes may apply, as well.


KEEP GOING

If you’re adding an island opposite a 36” single-door refrigerator and/or freezer, you’ll constrict your traffic flow dramatically in that area, even using the guideline.




Many folks like the idea of an island with seating. My emphatic recommendation is not to seat anyone between your island and work zone – particularly near a range or cooktop – even if that means giving up seating altogether.

If you can fit seating on the non-working side of your island, here are the planning guidelines that make sense and comfortable arrangements.

9. Seating Clearance

Kitchen seating areas should incorporate at least the following clearances:

a. 30” high tables/counters: Allow a 24” wide x 18” deep knee space for each seated diner and at least 18” of clear knee space.

b. 36” high counters: Allow a 24” wide x 15” deep knee space for each seated diner and at least 15” of clear knee space.

c. 42” high counters: Allow a 24” wide x 12” deep knee space for each seated diner and 12” of clear knee space.

In one of the showrooms where I used to work, my design clients used to regularly bang their knees on the back of my desk. It was 30” high and had barely a 12” overhang. I never had to justify following the guidelines to this clientele!

Here's another one to think carefully about:

2. Door Interference

No entry door should interfere with the safe operation of appliances, nor should appliance doors interfere with one another.

This may seem obvious, but it’s easy to overlook such details in the fervor to fit everything in. I’ve seen it done.


JAMIE’S ISLAND TEST

When clients come to me wanting to add an island to their existing kitchen, I assign them this exercise:

Tape off the area on the floor where the proposed island will be installed. (Many lesser tests stop at this point – don’t!) Next, using weighted boxes, “build” a full-height, full-width, full-depth model of it in the planned space. Live with this structure for a week and see how it affects your work flow. If you’re planning island seating, add chairs at the desired spots. If it’s a comfortable fit, great – we’ll add an island to your kitchen. If not, we’ll look at other size, seating and storage options to achieve your goals.

Check back next for Island Fever II - Equipping your Dream




PHOTO NOTES (Top to Bottom by SECTION):

ASK YOURSELF WHY:

(1) The architect/home builder said, "one island is obsolete" about this $2 million beach home whose kitchen I designed.

(2) The island shown here from U-Line's website features the firm's fridge/freezer/ice maker combo that makes for a great entertainment center.


WORK AISLE

This kitchen on the CWP Cabinetry web site features two large islands with ample work and walk space between them.

TRAFFIC CLEARANCE AT SEATING

There's clearly no traffic crunch behind the counter stools at this sleek Kraftmaid island from the firm's web site.


KEEP GOING

This kitchen I designed for an active family featured side-by-side refrigerator/freezer that called for an extra wide walkway/work aisle between it and the island opposite.

JAMIE'S ISLAND TEST

The hard-working island I designed for this remodeled kitchen was made possible because of the client's desire to remove a wall where it now stands.

ODE TO QUARTZ COUNTERTOPS

I love quartz countertops. I love their family-friendly ease of use. You never have to seal them, as you do with natural stone. They're non-porous, which is more sanitary, and very stain resistant. I also love their hard-to-destroy durability. Finally, I love their manufacturers' warranties. (Mother Nature does not warranty her marble, onyx or granite products.)

Often called engineered stone, quartz, like cola, is sold under different brand names. The material is pretty much the same, though, like Pepsi, Coke, RC, et al, each will appeal to different tastes...


CAESARSTONE

Caesarstone has some contemporary colors like lime green, orange and blue. It also has some nice concrete alternatives. My favorites, though, are the new Concetto series, made with precious stones, (shown here). Since I spotted these billion dollar beauties at KBIS 2008, I can't wait to find the right project for this line.


CAMBRIA

Those colors that try to look like granite don't. My favorite Cambria color, which I recently specified for a client's master bath, is Hyde Park. It's a quiet grey-green with a near translucent quality.

Cambria Nugget: Cambria is certified for Kosher Kitchens by a Rabbi. Isn't that just so cool!


ZODIAQ

DuPont's product has some colors that stand in nicely for concrete or Absolute Black granite, without their maintenance issues.


SILESTONE

Silestone has a nice built-in feature: Microban antimicrobial protection. All engineered stone countertops are non-porous, as mentioned above. Silestone goes one step further in helping to combat contaminants. It's the germ-fighting overachiever for overprotective parents and germaphobic hypochondriacs. Aesthetically, most of the Silestone line tries too hard to look like granite, which it doesn't. The style I really like is the Leather Series, which has a soft matte finish evocative of honed stone. Unfortunately, the Silestone website doesn't really show them, so you'll have to visit a Silestone dealer. FYI, their biggest U.S. account is Home Depot, so stroll to your local Big Orange kitchen department for a look.

Silestone Nugget: Because Silestone is sold so widely at Home Depot, it can sometimes be hard for other accounts to get the slabs they need. Also, since the slabs come from Spain, if your color choice is back-ordered, you could be waiting quite a while for your tops to show up. (I've had clients in that position before.)