Queen of the Kitchen

(Excerpt from article in PALM SPRINGS LIFE)

Let’s talk about your Palm Springs home.

The house was built in 1959; I bought it in 2014. I had seen a lot of Alexanders, but this one I walked in and said, “Wow.” Plus, it had a fourth bedroom, which I wanted. (I have two grandchildren and two sons who visit.) I put a bid on it that same day. We did some minor things at first. But a home speaks to you. It really does, at least to me. Until I moved in and got the feel, I didn’t want to do any major renovations.

How did you approach the kitchen design?

I wanted to integrate the kitchen, so it didn’t overpower and you lose sight of everything else. It had to fit my thinking and also become part of the house. I like texture, and I like color — although I was known for my all-white kitchens. White is sharp. It’s always clean, and it always feels good. But taupe is also a neutral color. It blends in more and is more forgiving. I redesigned everything. There’s nothing here that was there before.

What did you locally source?

In 2018, I found David Dunn at PS212. He’s an architect and was so helpful. In putting together the cabinets, countertops, and appliances, collaborating with David made a tremendous difference. I can’t recommend him enough, because he sees it from a design point of view. There’s so much he can add.

Any standout aspects?

I love the faux marble island. Its angled edge echoes the shape of the window and the slant of the beams. And I love my wall oven. The top is convection; the oven below is electric. With the industrial outlet, you can plug in anywhere and it gives you another work area. I hate looking at outlets.

The lighting seems very deliberate.

Lighting to me is one of the most important things. I’m trying to educate people that we all grow older. It’s a very smart thing to have lights under the island in terms of aging in place.

Do you do a lot of cooking?

I used to. In Palm Springs, I’m out all the time. I don’t do that much cooking. Let’s face it. I cook three or four days a week. And that’s plenty.