WASHINGTON, DC— For the modern family, the kitchen has become the command center for each day’s activities. It is where meals are prepared and shared, family and friends gather and plans are made.

At the most recent Design House at The Washington Design Center in Washington, DC, Sophie Prévost, ASID and Robert Cole, RIBA, principals of ColePrévost, took that idea one step further. The oversized kitchen, part of a nine-room decorator showhouse co-sponsored by Metropolitan Home magazine, was designed as a theater, where daily family activities play out.

The theme – Modern With a Capital M – resulted in a contemporary kitchen space that featured perimeter areas for function, as well as a center for cooking and interacting.

“We envisioned the kitchen in theatrical terms,” says Cole. “Center stage features an efficient space for cooking and an inviting room for lounging, spending time with family and friends. Backstage features a storage area, pantry, the passive machines, refrigerator, ovens, etc.”

“We see a kitchen as the heart of the contemporary home,” he continues. “In terms of lifestyle, a contemporary kitchen is a room for ‘living,’ where cooking is only one of the activities. It is where everyone gathers, kids do their homework, a laptop is a necessary presence and friends chat and lounge.”

In keeping with this idea, Cole and Prévost designed the space to include a lounge area, a swing and a central table at regular height rather than counter height, “so that it is more inviting to sit at and easier to use for kitchen prep work,” offers Cole.

In social terms, Cole explains, they view the design in terms of a backdrop. “It’s more about facilitating choice and less about social determination or prescriptive use,” he observes.

In terms of the aesthetics, “We are getting tired of the ‘machine for cooking.’ Instead we wanted something fresh and light,” he continues. As a result, the room features clean lines, a monochromatic color scheme “except for a turquoise sky,” and subtle details and textures.

“A kitchen is a place where someone, or several someones, can cook, eat, chat, dream…or simply watch a garden grow. We wanted ours to be fresh and crisp,” he states.

Backstage Passes

In the Design Center kitchen, the perimeter of the room was designated as the “backstage” area. Cabinetry, appliances and preparation areas were all staged along one side of the room.