Fête a Tête
Tasteful Kitchens for an Inspired Holiday Feast
by INHABIT EDITORS
It’s said the kitchen is the heart of a home, and that couldn’t be more true this time of year. Whether you’re celebrating across the table or a screen, get in the spirit of the season with these swoon-worthy spaces from Corcoran listings across the country.
While New York City might be famous for its world-class restaurants, it’s not exactly synonymous with spacious kitchens. But with 7,000 square feet to spare, this six-level UES townhouse is an exception to many rules. Sporting a 48-inch Sub-Zero refrigerator, double Bosch dishwashers, and a vented, six-burner, 60″ Wolf range with dual ovens, this loaded culinary workspace comes armed for anything you can possibly throw at it — there’s enough Calacatta Gold counter space to prep a full spread of complicated casseroles, not to mention the most plump of turduckens. A full wall of windows adds natural light and a quintessential Uptown view, not a bad thing to have in a place you’ll spend the better part of the day cooking. Did we mention the multiple indoor and outdoor dining areas to chow down the results.
This brownstone-Brooklyn cook space is about as bright as they come, and we’ve all learned how invaluable lighting becomes over Zoom. You’ll find it on the main level of this meticulously restored c.1883 townhouse, presently configured as a glamorous owner’s triplex and one additional apartment. A quartz waterfall island offers ample space for ambitious culinary endeavors, and there’s plenty of sleek cabinetry to store all the gadgets and paraphernalia they require. The open layout, with a wood-burning fireplace at one end and sliding doors outside on the other, offers a welcoming setting to enjoy face time or be enjoyed over Facetime. And what better background out the window than the boxy, brick-chimneyed row homes of the Brooklyn Academy of Music (BAM) Historic District?
We already know how good open-fire cooking looks on Instagram—why not bring it home? This masterwork East End kitchen boasts a double-sided cooking hearth that’s sure to impress IRL and virtual guests alike, even if the latter can’t share the heat and aromas it effuses. For those who are physically present, the shingled rambler’s open-plan layout couldn’t be more perfect for seamless entertaining, from hors d’oeuvres on the 14-foot island to formal dining on the other side of that fireplace. So hang a Dutch Oven on that crane, and give thanks that while the Macy’s Parade won’t cover its full Manhattan route this year, you can’t cancel stuffing.
Perhaps the holiday zeitgeist wouldn’t be so inextricably snow-dusted, had Clement Moore hung the stockings by the chimney with care because he lived somewhere too warm to be wearing them. Entertaining becomes a vastly different proposition once November-December temperature highs fall in the mid-70s, and this Orlando stunner has all the trimmings to step up for festive winter occasions. That includes four kitchens—two inside and two out, including one on the sprawling roof terrace with counter seating and built-in flatscreens. Adding to that, the formal dining area, edged with retractible walls, conveniently couples with the glassed-in wine room.
Boasting nearly 9,000 square feet, it’s hardly a surprise this Hallandale Beach waterfront, set on the calm canals of the Golden Isles, has an exceptionally large kitchen. But it’s not the dual Sub-Zero wine fridges, nor the hooded La Cornue Chateau Series range, that set it apart nearly much as its ergonomics: It fits effortlessly into the home’s open-plan living space, which flows effortlessly from the soaring great room past the breakfast nook and center island to a formal dining room. If the spacious butler’s pantry and multiple seating areas didn’t already round out the value adds, consider the built-in China cabinet, windowed to the outside.
Even by Hudson Valley standards, this Columbia County retreat is something of a unicorn, and its kitchens don’t disappoint. The primary one in the eclectic main residence, crafted from a c.1865 post-and-beam barn, is a lengthy assemblage beneath the upstairs loft, featuring 3-inch-thick antique marble countertops, a breakfast nook, and counter seating—you’ll have your back to the soaring great room and its 7,000-brick fireplace. Not only that, there’s a second full-sized kitchen in the guest barn, which presents the welcome ability to socially distance from your company even in post-pandemic times. There’s more than enough space to prep and serve an impressive Thanksgiving meal, whether enjoyed in the cozy indoor dining room or the 20-foot marble table on the veranda.
If you’re easily tinted by envy, this Tahoe retreat will have you greener than a needly Ponderosa pine. Nestled privately into the woods just a few hundred feet above Crystal Bay, this spacious Sierra-Nevada residence has the look and feel of a classic hunting lodge, but the kitchen stands ready no matter what you’re putting on the table. There’s a Miele steam oven, two Fisher & Paykel dishwasher drawers, a custom-paneled GE Monogram fridge and freezer, and a 10-burner, double-oven Blue Star range. The fully-loaded culinary workspace carries past a double-sided fireplace into the soaring great room, bridged by an impressive bar area that’s the perfect place to pre-game for turkey or work off the tryptophan over a smoky digestif or espresso from the coffee station.
Paradise is easily found in the Aloha State, but floating above the waves of Poipu takes it to another level. It’s hard to imagine a more existentially-fulfilling experience than sharing a meal at this tranquil Kauai compound, which consists of a trio of residences inspired by the conventions of famed Hawaiian architect Charles W. Dickey. Of those, two share a nearly identical kitchen configuration, offering a spacious layout that carries seamlessly over open, marble-topped peninsulas to an oceanfront dining area (or lounging, per one’s setup) with retractible glass walls. Each boasts large center islands, top-of-the-line appliances, and a generous amount of cabinetry.
