Cecilia's Kitchen

Let me give you a tour of Cecilia's renovated kitchen. (I can't say "newly" because I took these pictures almost two years ago!)

Cecilia is a busy stockbroker who wanted to make her kitchen more functional but didn't have the time (or inclination) to do it herself. She asked interior designer, Arlene Maslog, to help her out.

Although Cecilia likes to cook, she didn't want an "open kitchen". The access to the kitchen from the living room is still through a swing kitchen door.

What she wanted though was a bright airy kitchen--something updated and modern, nice to cook in, and comfortable enough to hang out in too.

Cecilia is a no-nonsense, no-frills-needed type of person, she just wanted the kitchen to be functional and comfortable without breaking the bank.

There were going to be no showy high-branded appliances here--just regular workhorses--a stove top, a wall oven, a refrigerator, a microwave.

The end result is functional, comfortable and stunning. 

(Let me add here that Arlene actually mentioned to me that the kitchen counter in  this blogpost of mine served as an inspiration for this island)

They even found space for a flat screen TV to watch cooking shows, and to the left, a dead-end wall was brought to life with a full-length mirror which reflects the window on the other end.

The microwave is hidden in a cupboard above the wall oven. No fancy "kitchen garages" needed here.

This light fixture is perfect for this updated kitchen.

The design of the kitchen window on one end is ingenious. The windows create enough ventilation and the fixed glass shows off the pocket garden without any obstruction.

Well done, Arlene and Cecilia!

While I'm at it, let me show you the staff area outside the kitchen, at the side of the house. This is a good solution if you want comfortable working surroundings but don't have much space and you are a law-abiding village resident who respects proper building set-backs.

This "open plan" beats a cooped-up work area anytime. The bamboo plants on the right side keep the area from being too exposed to the elements.

The staff bedroom is towards the back of the pictures (where the person is standing), but with about two meters of hallway before the bedroom door.

The staff is motivated to keep the area very clean so they don't attract bugs and rodents.

And the washer and dryer are elevated and safely tucked into a niche beside the hallway leading to the staff bedroom. There's enough roof overhead to keep everything dry.

Let's walk to the back side of the house...

Cecilia has a knack of maximizing every part of her house. This back area was just not accessible until she opened up a wall and replaced the window with a sliding door. Those sofas, the bamboo, and the back wall treatment make the area very cozy.

Just goes to show what a little imagination and a lot of taste can do.