10 Questions for . . . Joan DesCombes, Certified Kitchen Designer

In this installment of 10 Questions for . . . , Senior Editor Daniel DiClerico speaks with Joan DesCombes, CKD, principal of Winter Park, Florida–based Architectural Artworks Incorporated. Here, DesCombes, who received the 2008 Pinnacle of Design award from the National Kitchen & Bath Association in April, talks about her winning project, where kitchen design stands today headed, and what her clients want in their new kitchens.

Q. Congratulations on winning the 2008 Pinnacle of Design award. What separates you from other designers?

A. I think I’m a little unique for a kitchen designer in that this isn’t my first career. I was trained as a designer but then I ended up working in the fashion industry for many years. So I approach a kitchen almost like I’m dressing somebody. I start by asking a lot of questions about the homeowners’ lifestyle. The more I know about them, the more I can create a room that suits their personality. Coming from the fashion industry, I strive to design rooms that are functional first but also that people look good in. If you’re a blue-eyed blond I’m going to design that room differently than if you have dark hair and dark eyes.

Q. How is that philosophy reflected in the award-winning kitchen?

A. This kitchen, in Winter Park, Florida (shown), is in keeping with who that homeowner is. He’s a creative person and he wanted a kitchen that’s innovative and uses rare materials. The combination of stainless steel and raw wood on the ceiling gives the space a loftlike feel that’s in keeping with the rest of the house. The stone floor is the same throughout, enhancing the Zen-inspired fluidity of the space. The same stone continues up the side of the island for a dramatic effect. The lighting is also very dramatic, combining cable lights with hanging pendants.

Q. What are your favorite features about the kitchen?

A. When you look at most kitchens, they tend to be traditional in look and layout. This one wasn’t traditional from any standpoint. We reused a lot of existing materials, so while it isn’t green in the conventional sense, it’s largely recycled. The purple-concrete countertop was left over from a project we worked on with designer Fu-Tung Cheng, from Berkeley, California. We also used some leftover cabinetry for the pantries that flank the refrigerator, a Sub-Zero with a paneled front that matches the cabinetry. The fully integrated refrigerator is something we do all the time. It goes along with my kitchen-as-furniture philosophy. Homeowners need to understand that furnishing a kitchen is no different than furnishing a living room. Except that they’re going to spend a lot more time in the kitchen.

Q. In general, how are people today interacting with their kitchens differently?

A. Everybody’s lifestyle is different, and so every kitchen needs to be different too. Take someone who’s big in the organic-food movement. They’re going to need more refrigerator than freezer space, and they’re going to need that refrigeration in several different places throughout the kitchen. For a recent client who’s vegetarian, we added a set of refrigerator drawers to her food prep island. That’s where she keeps the fresh vegetables for the salads she often makes. This split configuration is also popular with parents with small children. It means they can keep the juice and milk next to where the kids eat breakfast in the morning.

Q. What is the complaint you hear most from people about their existing kitchens?

A. It’s always the same. They say “my kitchen doesn’t work.” And it doesn’t work because the person who designed it never asked any of the right questions. I have six pages of questions that I ask all my clients before I do a single drawing. I want to know who’s in the family, who cooks, if they’re left or right handed, how tall they are, how they entertain, where they store things currently, where they think they might like store things in the future, how many children and pets they have, how old the children are, are they boys or girls. If you spend time in the beginning asking the right questions and determining what’s possible in the space, the design itself is the easy part.

Q. How has the green movement influenced your approach to kitchen design?

A. I’m not somebody who says that everything in the kitchen has to be green. I don’t think people can deal with that approach. That being said, I love LED lights. You never have to change them! We just did a kitchen with an entire wall made of glass block and we backlit each block with tiny LEDs. They’re a great design tool, and very ecological. We also use a lot of bamboo and cork. There are now enough people working with the materials that you don’t have to worry about finding skilled installers. And I love glass, which of course is recyclable. We’re doing big pieces of glass on backsplashes and along countertops and up the sides of counters and bars.

Q. Are open-kitchen plan kitchens still the norm, or do you have clients who want to separate the room from the rest of the home?

A. It really depends on the situation. In smaller residence, an open kitchen plan makes the whole house feel bigger and function better. But the separate kitchen isn’t necessarily a thing of the past. For example, if you have a galley kitchen there’s not always a lot you can do about it. But it can still be a fabulous kitchen. We’ve also done kitchens for homeowners who have a personal chef. In that situation, a separate kitchen is generally preferred.

Q. What is the biggest mistake you see when it comes to appliances?

A. Homeowners who buy their appliances before the kitchen is designed. Appliances should be designed within the framework of the kitchen—they shouldn’t drive the design. To give you an example, we had clients who came to us after they’d selected all their appliances. When I asked them why they had chosen this particular range, they said “Because the appliance dealer told us it was nice and we thought it looked good.” Then I asked them if they really needed so many burners. They said no. Fortunately, we were able to change to a smaller unit, which ended up saving tons and tons of space.

Q. How has the economic slowdown affected kitchen remodeling?

A. We’re busier than ever. A lot of people can’t sell their house, so they’re putting the money toward a renovation. Many of our best clients are middle-class people who don’t have a lot of discretionary income. These homeowners don’t have to deny themselves, but they have to be realistic. Clients will often say to me, “This is what I want,” and it’s not anywhere near what they can afford. They need to listen to their designer. For example, I’m of the opinion that it doesn’t make sense to buy cheap cabinets and an expensive countertop because in five years the cabinets are going to be a mess. I say buy the better cabinets with laminate countertops. You can always change the countertops, but the cabinets are there to stay.

Q. Economic woes aside, are there any luxuries that your clients don’t seem willing to give up?

A. It’s usually a particular refrigerator or a particular range. And I don’t think they should give it up. It may be a little more expensive, but if it they’ve thought it through and they truly love it, I think it’s money well spent.

Essential information: If you’re designing your own remodeling project, read our kitchen-planning guide, which includes advice on finding the best deals on appliances.