What goes into designing the dream kitchen? Waterworks co-founder Barbara Sallick might just have perfected the recipe for creating a timeless and livable kitchen in her own Southport, Connecticut home. As the co-founder and Senior Vice President of Design at Waterworks, Sallick has an eye for the exceptional when it comes to creating a space that is at once multifunctional and sleek. Describing her island as a “racetrack,” everything is within arms reach and surrounded by walls of hand-made white tiles and cabinets coated in handsome navy blue.
For more expert-approved ideas on how to design a tip-top kitchen, join us on an exclusive tour of Sallick’s space in the video below.
PLUS…
We wanted to get the inside scoop from the Queen of Kitchens on her go-to choices when it comes to the details of the most important room in the house.
1. Hidden panels or out-in-the-open appliances: Hidden panels. A large expanse of stainless steel can disrupt the kitchen’s visual aesthetic and symmetry.
2. Colorful appliances or stainless: Stainless. It’s a forever material.
3. Classic subway or patterned tiled backsplash: Both! A pattern can add energy to a space, but classic subway tiles are timeless.
4. Apron sink or undermount: Undermount. I like the way the counter fits over the top of them, creating a very clean edge.
5. Brass or nickel hardware: Both! I have solved the problem of having to choose between them by combining brass hardware and lighting with a stainless sink and nickel fittings. Mixing finishes is easy to do and looks great.
6. Open shelves or cabinets: I love open shelves for others, but I think they need a live-in stylist to always look their best. So, closed cabinetry for me.
7. White or colorful cabinetry: I love colored cabinetry. It adds a special kind of warmth to a kitchen, along with a friendly and sophisticated feel. You can also use it to visually connect the room to other decoration in the home.
8. Single or double sink: Always a double sink! I like it to be an uneven double where the second sink is smaller for separating silver or garbage or peeling vegetables.
9. Eat-in kitchen or separate dining space: I love having a kitchen table. We eat meals there, of course, but it’s also a great place to read the Sunday paper or have a cup of tea, and somewhere for guests to sit while I’m cooking. In a pinch, it can serve as an extra work table or a spot for staging outdoor meals.
10. Wood or stone countertop: Stone and more stone! I love the reference to old world materials and romance. While some will say it is harder to maintain, there is something magical in its’ color variation and secret messages in the scratches and stains.
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