Text by Fenzhi Zhang
Photography by Ric Marder
When it comes to a Chinese-American household, the kitchen isn’t merely where cooking happens; it is also the center of family life. “The kitchen is the heart of a house,” says Lung-Shan (Shan) Chang, senior designer at Kitchen Designs by Ken Kelly, Inc.
When a Chinese homeowner visited the Ken Kelly Showroom on Long Island, New York, two years ago and requested a kitchen that could integrate her culture into a modern design, Shan understood how important it was to make the kitchen function smoothly for cooking and dining, while at the same time having it mirror the Chinese homeowner’s taste and culture. She worked with the homeowner to create a design that incorporated feng shui, an ancient and unique Asian architectural tradition that harmonizes individuals with their surrounding environment and provides a balanced flow of good energy.
To connect the living room and kitchen in a harmonious and seamless way, Shan framed the kitchen entryway with a hollowed-out screen adorned with an ancient Chinese coin pattern, which is composed of a square inscribed in a circle. In Chinese culture, a circle represents heaven, while a square represents earth. A square within a circle represents the union of heaven and earth. According to feng shui principles, using this coin pattern brings good fortune and abundance to the home.
Shan also utilized Thassos marble for the center backsplash and custom-cut Cambria stone for surfaces. The marbling in the backsplash, reminiscent of traditional Chinese watercolor paintings, serves as a subtle yet beautiful backdrop for the kitchen.
Beyond reflecting the homeowner’s Chinese cultural background, the kitchen offers great function. It cleverly maximizes space, allowing the room to accommodate a wide range of occasions, from intimate two-person dinners to large social gatherings. “I want it to be functional and beautiful from every corner,” says Shan. Indeed, even with the detailed attention to aesthetics, Shan never forgot about the function of the kitchen; every inch of the space was thoroughly accounted for. No sheetrock covers the HVAC ductwork, appliances fit in the space just right, and every door and drawer has room for a full range of motion.
Shan designed this kitchen so that it functions specifically for this family’s use while, at the same time, stunningly presenting every detail. The Chinese cultural elements set against a bright, Western-style kitchen come together to create beautiful harmony between East and West.
Left: The base of the kitchen’s island features shadow-gray Pasadena cabinet detailing from the Ken Kelly custom Wood-Mode/Brookhaven line. With seating for both the dining area and the island, the kitchen can accommodate a wide range of occasions, from intimate two-person dinners to large social gatherings.
Right: Lung-Shan (Shan) Chang, senior designer at Kitchen Designs by Ken Kelly, Inc, an interior designer with 20 years’ experience.
About Kitchen Designs by Ken Kelly
Kitchen Designs by Ken Kelly is home to Long Island’s largest display of complete kitchen cabinetry, and designer baths, libraries, media rooms, wine cellars, closets, outdoor kitchens, and more. The company’s kitchen showroom is in Nassau County on Long Island, New York, and its talented design team serves Nassau, Suffolk and the Hamptons, New York City, Queens, and much of the tri-state area.
Kitchen Designs by Ken Kelly, Inc.
516.746.3435
26 Hillside Avenue, Williston Park, NY
