Issue link: http://digital.canadawide.com/i/136981
A Traditional Chinese Kitchen Gets a Modern Makeover Rich aromas and heavy smoke are often associated with Chinese-style cooking. A gourmet cook, Li wanted to ensure that her new kitchen was the optimal space in which to cook family favourites such as steamed fish, dumplings and tasty stir-fries. Traditionally, Asian homes have a separate room for cooking. This proved challenging as the very core of this home was the intermingling of space and light. was to create a separate cooking area connected to the kitchen and living space with a glass door and windows for the illusion of one big space. The five-foot by 10-foot room hosts a six-burner stove with a heavy-duty commercial fan to manage smoke, a storage area and space for food preparation. Stainless steel was used instead of tiles to ensure ease in the cleaning process. Integrating such a functional space into the kitchen plan proved no challenge for Henshaw and Chao, whose experience in the Asian market has equipped them with problem-solving tools for such traditional requests. "We have designed these quite a bit over the years," says Chao, "so we perfected the science behind it and know how to design it in a way that flows well. So, even though it's a separate room, it is not completely cut off." The layout makes taking food out of the fridge, prepping on the island and then cooking a snap. "It is organized in a very functional way," explains Henshaw. The room serves as the perfect location for Li to fry, sizzle and experiment. • The solution BLURRED LINES The living area is designed to flow into a sleek wooden deck that merges the indoor and outdoor spaces. A wall of nine-foot-high windows binds the deck to the luxurious indoor living area and can be opened to unify the two spaces. the practice of arranging your environment so that chi, or energy, flows gently through the space. With this in mind, Henshaw created an open floor plan for the living area, creating optimal light and stunning views of the North Shore Mountains and an adjacent park. "If you come in from the garage at the back you can look through the house and see the view in the distance," says Henshaw. "It was a concept we incorporated to increase the spaciousness and the spectacular view from the house." July/August 2013 BC HOME & garden | 19 p16-21 Li Lui home.indd 19 13-06-07 11:34 AM