It’s appropriate that the kitchen is often referred to as “the heart of the home,” because in this house, everything flows from it.
The kitchen is the central hub of Bob Webb Homes’ entry into the 2016 BIA Parade of Homes. Its design – a modern take on classic themes – emphasizes efficiency and practicality, and informs the design of the rest of the house.
Bob Webb is working with a team of designers to put together the house, including:
- Signature Cabinetry, Inc., an east Columbus company specializing in cabinets and countertops;
- Heather Wilcox of Wilcox Interior Designs, whose specialties include renovations, trim and moulding, as well as interior and exterior design; and
- Sebastian Herald and Randy Gardell of Westerville-based Herald Gardell, Ltd., a residential interior design firm known for its work in space planning and collaborative design, among other things.
The room has been a big source of enthusiasm for Bob Webb as the company works with its designers and a team of architects to put together a home with a modern farmhouse feel. As watching TV as a family has declined in popularity, the kitchen has once again become the epicenter of family life.
“This is your dining room, this is your kitchen space, this is your entertainment room, this is your study,” says Scott Shively of Bob Webb. “There is no living room anymore; this is the living room.”
Key to making the kitchen a space for gatherings is an enclosed area within it, complete with expanded pantry. Because this second kitchen is set aside for cooking, the main kitchen is easier to keep organized, with no kitchen equipment or preparation to draw guests’ attention.
This approach to kitchen design also means plenty of storage space, a design trend Bob Webb is following closely. Features such as tiered drawer inserts, swing-out shelves and acrylic holders make it decidedly easier for homeowners to conveniently get around the kitchen, and all are under consideration in the Parade house.
The BIA Parade of Homes is set for late July at Verona in Powell.
This year, for the first time in its five decades of history, Bob Webb will be building the Parade’s Foundation Home. Proceeds from its sale, as well as from tickets to the Parade preview party, go to the Building Industry Association of Central Ohio’s foundation, supporting Nationwide Children’s Hospital.
Some of the features Bob Webb is considering for the kitchen are:
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A swing-out mixer shelf helps the kitchen accommodate appliances without cluttering it up.
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A styling station is an example of the elements designers have looked at as they imagined themselves living in the home.
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A styling station is an example of the elements designers have looked at as they imagined themselves living in the home.
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Acrylic holders help the homeowner stay organized and neat in a timely fashion.
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A tiered drawer insert contributes to ease of organization, a key component in keeping the kitchen clean.
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A peg drawer insert demonstrates a commitment to efficiency, making dishes easy to put back.
