Family Friendly

An inefficient, chopped-up kitchen becomes the hub of the house

Written by Bernadette Baczynski • Styled by Linda Pope
Photographed by Ken Gutmaker

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San Franciscans Tom and Tamara Mack love old houses. They especially like ones that need work. So their goal when house-hunting five years ago was to find a fixer-upper they could "make our own," says Tamara, "and not have to live with someone else's remodel."

When the couple found a 1914 California Prairie-style house, that's precisely what they got. The kitchen especially needed help. A 1950s renovation had left it with an inefficient floor plan that directed back-door traffic through the prep area, and there was a washer and dryer next to the refrigerator. Barbie-pink appliances, limited counter space, and peeling vinyl floors (that the couple's three young sons couldn't resist picking at) were other annoyances.

After making some quick cosmetic fixes, the couple lived with the kitchen for several years while figuring out how best to change it. Then they called in good friendand designer Tineke Triggs to help turn the space into a family-friendly room with a place for every thing and every activity. The new L-shaped arrangement has a sink, range and refrigerator along one wall with double ovens adjacent. A generous island with a small sink and microwave divide prep and traffic areas.

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