Over, under and all around, a sunny mood pervaded the lemon-and-lime 1970s kitchen of Mr and Mrs James R. Williams of The Greenery “landominium” in suburban Cincinnati.
But this kitchen had more than good looks. In a 12-foot square, designer Joseph C Cason created a compact arrangement where function was foremost, in keeping with the wishes of Pat Williams.
No newcomer to the kitchen, Mrs Williams was former food editor of the Cincinnati Enquirer and was later the proprietor of Luxembourg House, a gourmet wine and cheese shop. An excellent cook, she views her kitchen as a workroom and, as such, insisted on the finest appliances, along with ample workspace, storage and a convenient spot for a light meal.
A panel table was designed as the answer to on-the-go snacks
Overhead, a broad green band masked a built-in wine rack following the lines of the ceiling. Altogether, it made a charming vignette with the “Eagle” print by artist John Rushven.
Lemon-lime kitchen decor: An excellence of efficiency
Here, she had it all neatly at hand. The appliance area (left) encircled two walls. Note a sleek stripe of “Lemon Twist” custom cabinets and wall of Formica’s “MCP.” Appliances were fronted with lime green MCP and ceiling beams painted to match. Counters were of Formica’s “Butcher-Block Maple” wood-grain laminate.
Shallow shelves framing a golf course view held bibelots and plants with inset “grow” lights for the greenery on the sill. Other lights were recessed into the beams.
Entertainment was not overlooked, with a small, unobtrusive television set on a sliding shelf housed in the cabinet over the refrigerator. Here, it was easily visible yet off the counter space.
The sunny green 70s kitchen was viewed mainly as a workroom
A ‘wall of ideas’ serves several needs
All kinds of kitchen storage problems met their match in a “now you see it, now you don’t” wall system opposite the sink and windows.
Just behind the neat facade of yellow Formica laminate panels — all the neater for their lack of hardware — was hidden a cache of cabinets and shelves for silver, glassware, small appliances and a fold-out table.
Details were proof of the careful thought and planning that dictated the design of the system. Note a rolling cart that tilted into its own recess beside the table (far right). A multipurpose unit, it served as a buffet or chopping block, with extra leaves that pulled out on either side.
The panel-cum-table was designed as the answer to on-the-go snacks and cabinetry within it. Roll it out when needed, then slip it back.
A pair of low-backed Swedish bar stools stood nearby, to be pulled over at mealtime. When the table was down, clear shelves were revealed, holding glassware, serving pieces and a toaster, all lit by an inset spot in the cabinet.
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