Dwell 2015 11

modern world
kitchens we love
“ A design that fits the needs of a specific client at a
specific point in time is one challenge; the greater
challenge is to design a space that will work for years
to come.” —Chris Greenawalt, architect
To open up the kitchen’s
tight quarters, Greenawalt
removed an adjacent divider
wall and created hollow areas
beneath the sink (below),
counter, and custom-built
bar (right), allowing resident
Amy Corcoran-Hunt to sit
comfortably facing them in her
wheelchair. He also clad the
undersides of taller cabinets
in marble to create an attractive
aesthetic from every angle.
inform his approach, he spent one-onone
time with Amy, prepping meals and
doing dishes to identify key areas of
frustration. “It became a problem-solving
exercise,” he says. “One without
universal solutions.”
First, he removed a wall between the
kitchen and hallway to improve fluidity
of movement. “No more tight turns
or having to reverse,” Amy says, beaming.
Hollow spaces beneath the sink
and bar now enable her to sit facing the
counter, instead of having to sidle up
parallel to it. New appliances, too,
empower her with self-sufficiency: A
dishwasher by Fisher & Paykel opens
straight out like a drawer, and controls
for an InSinkErator garbage disposal
and Cifial faucet were repositioned to
be within reach while seated.
The upgrades didn’t end with functionality:
Greenawalt wanted the
kitchen to become a space where Amy
would also feel comfortable socializing
and spending time. Taking her seated
vantage point into account, he clad the
undersides of the higher cabinets in
marble to improve her view. “It’s a great
example of how her unique perspective
helped us produce interesting design
elements,” says Greenawalt.
Amy can participate in family meals
with ease, setting the table and baking
cookies with Caroline. “It’s a beautiful
place that we can live in exactly as we
are,” she says.
68 NOVEMBER 2015 DWELL