Inspiration
An Ideal Kitchen
Building their new home gave Marilyn and Arthur Geary the chance to design their ideal kitchen
BY
Melissa Mack
PHOTOGRAPHY
Greg West

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Who better to design a custom kitchen then the people who will be using it everyday? That is what Marilyn and Arthur Geary decided when they were building their Portsmouth home in 2003. Taking into account all of the kitchen elements they knew they wanted and adding elements of style they had seen in other kitchens through the years, the perfect kitchen, for them, was born.

“We love to entertain”, says Marilyn, so it was important to both she and Arthur that their kitchen be not only beautiful, but highly functional. A double oven that is both gas and electric and a large stove top accommodate the often occurrence of “two cooks in the kitchen”, as Arthur states it. “He’s the fish and steak cook, while I’m the Italian cook” explains Marilyn. The 72” refrigerator, the largest side-by-side available, ensures plenty of food storage for large gatherings which frequently include their seven grandchildren. An enormous center island is equipped with a deep stainless steel sink and offers enough surface area for several cooks to prep a meal, or for guests to gather around. Rounding out the convenience and function of the kitchen are two dishwashers for speedy clean-ups.

Design and furnishings in the Geary kitchen convey their personal sense of style. The eighteen inch floor tiles set on a diagonal are an element that Marilyn borrowed from a kitchen she saw in Arizona. Perhaps one of the most prominent aspects of the kitchen design is the ornately detailed cabinetry. Marilyn explains, “A high level of detail on the cabinets was very important to both of us”. Some other signature touches include a frosted glass pantry door with the word pantry etched on it, a cozy yet elegant breakfast nook and two center island stools with salt and pepper shakers sculpted on the seatbacks. Happily, Marilyn says, “Because we knew exactly what we wanted, we were able to get the perfect kitchen for us.”

Melissa Mack is owner of Moxie Events, LLC and a freelance writer.

Greg West's clients include architects, interior designers, contractors, builders and developers involved in commercial and residential properties. See his work at  gregwestphotography.com.