More than 100 kitchen designers, architects, and other industry professionals filled Clarke’s Milford, MA Showroom on Cinco de Mayo for a spirited night of great food, live music from Mariachi International de Boston, and a celebration of some of the finest kitchen designs in New England. The excitement was palpable as the top three regional kitchen designs were announced for the coveted Sub-Zero, Wolf and Cove Kitchen Design Contest (KDC) and three additional kitchen designers were celebrated for their projects incorporating The Galley Workstation in The Galley’s inaugural design contest.
New England Regional KDC Best in Category– Contemporary – David Hacin, Hacin + Associates and Venegas and Company
“Beacon Courtyard” is the project that earned David Hacin New England’s top regional placement for Contemporary Kitchen in the Sub-Zero, Wolf and Cove Kitchen Design Contest. As Architect and Creative Director of Hacin + Associates, David wore many hats in this gut renovation that was on an accelerated schedule. David’s clients had chosen a primary city residence when they left the suburbs in the Midwest and the all-encompassing theme for the home was contemporary global glamour. David worked with Venegas and Company as a kitchen design consultant on the project. The stunning and extensive kitchen lived up to their design goals.
Sub-Zero and Wolf appliances were chosen due to the quality of the brand’s reputation, state-of-the-art innovation, and to ensure that the appliances would reflect the overall design aesthetic for the project. David’s team was able to overlay blackened steel panels on the refrigerator and hood to integrate these appliances with the rest of the custom cabinetry, providing the homeowners with completely unique appliances. A concealed television is even encased in the hood, perfect for morning news or evening entertaining.
New England Regional KDC Best in Category– Transitional – Julie Lyons, the Design Studio
Kitchen Designer Julie Lyons of The Design Studio was recognized as the KDC Best in Category for Transitional Kitchen, with her “Great River Rock” project in the Sub-Zero, Wolf and Cove Kitchen Design Contest. She will go on, with the other two regional Best in Category honorees, to compete in the Global Competition in Nashville in October of 2022. Lyons’ design transformed a standard traditional kitchen into a more contemporary space while maintaining a warm and welcoming hub of the home feeling.
Her beautiful design included a simplified cabinetry style finished in a dramatic blue/black color tone, along with rift white oak accents. A dramatic range hood is a true centerpiece with its chevron ship lap crowning the Wolf range below with its brass bezzles on the knobs to connect it with the brass accents throughout the room. The range is the only visible appliance, as Julie chose integrated Sub-Zero models to create visual drama throughout the space. Her coffered ceiling is a delightful way to continue the chevron theme and give the center of the room additional height.
New England Regional KDC Best in Category– Traditional – Glenn Meader, Good Life New England
In this stunning kitchen, Kitchen Designer Glenn Meader, principal at Good Life New England, threads the needle of creating a timeless, modern space that fits into a home built in 1895. Clean lines, soothing colors and wood accents were combined to give this family of five a state-of-the-art kitchen that feels like it belongs in this antique home. Aptly named, “Timeless Elegance” encompasses a kitchen space, bar and pantry, all beautifully orchestrated to work together.
According to Meader, his client wanted “large capacity commercial-grade appliances,” and Sub-Zero and Wolf’s ability to seamlessly integrate into the space allowed the traditional cabinetry and charming millwork to create the desired aesthetic in this antique home, while providing the latest kitchen technology available. A 24” Sub-Zero Column Refrigerator and 24” Sub-Zero Column Freezer look more like a matching armoire or pantry closet than food and beverage storage. The subtle wood tones, like the floating shelves adjacent to the refrigerator/freezer, are found throughout the space bringing warmth and old-world charm to this home.
Winners in The Galley Design Contest Reinvent the Kitchen Space
During Clarke’s 2022 Designer Appreciation Night, guests were also introduced to three designers who have embraced The Galley Workstation, reinventing kitchen layouts to be even more functional. The Galley represents a whole new category of kitchen appliance, a complete culinary system where one can prepare, cook, serve, entertain and clean all in one central and convenient place. The kitchen is even more functional and ergonomic with a cooktop next to the Workstation. This new kitchen work line concept is much more efficient than the traditional work triangle.
First Place – Kristen LaValle, Arcadia Kitchen and Bath
Embracing the promise that The Galley will take five feet of space and turn it into 15 feet of functionality, Kitchen Designer Kristen LaValle designed a five-foot Galley with two Galley Taps into her first-place winning kitchen. “The Galley is the heart of this kitchen,” she shared. “It brings everyone together in the space and aesthetically blends with the mid-century modern style of this home.” Kristen maximized functionality with the two Taps, specially designed faucets to work with The Galley and she enhanced the functionality by placing an induction cooktop adjacent to the workstation.
Second Place – Conrad Arseneau, Kitchen Cove Design Studio
Kitchen Designer Conrad Arseneau said his client fell in love with The Galley Workstation in his design studio display and wanted to design her entire kitchen around the concept. “She loved the idea that it would maximize gathering space, as well as storage and prep space for her busy young family.” The five-foot Galley Workstation with a single Tap seamlessly fit into the 1912 Craftsman-style masterpiece, originally designed by a legendary Mainer, John Calvin Stevens.
In Arseneau’s design, The Galley sits comfortably in the kitchen island, set into beautiful natural stone, surrounded by deep blue cabinetry and brass accents. Its seamless integration belies the prominent role it plays in the kitchen’s operation. The built-in sink, racks, cutting surfaces and more, save time for this busy homeowner. 
Third Place – Erica Palm, Lee Kimball
Erica Palm’s clients at Lee Kimball were building a home trailside on Mt. Abram in Greenwood, Maine, with Winterhaven Custom Builders. The space was designed to accommodate large groups of visitors who would join this family of five for ski adventures. She proposed The Galley as a way to provide kitchen flexibility to allow multiple people to participate in food prep and clean-up. The idea of the accessories converting the workstation into a buffet station was a big plus for this family, who knew would often have “too many cooks in the kitchen.”
The open floor plan in this ski home was perfect for The Galley as part of the island concept. Erica’s clients chose two layers for the accessories, which allows them to cut, clean and temporarily store ingredients during food prep. “For homeowners that use marble or other porous countertop surfaces, The Galley reduces the possible impact of acidic juices or other staining foods to penetrate the stone surfaces,” explained Palm. “Moving the sink to the island and replacing a standard sink with The Galley improved the overall functionality of the kitchen dramatically.”
Congratulations to the Winners!
The Clarke family, Director of Business Development Joe Tanguay and the teams from all three Clarke Showrooms are inspired and delighted to celebrate these talented kitchen designers and look forward to seeing our New England Sub-Zero, Wolf and Cove KDC finalists compete for global honors in Nashville in October.