When the Kantor family moved from New York City to Scarsdale, where they built their “Hamptons-esque” shingle-style home, designer and homeowner Tara Kantor had a clear vision for the light, airy interior. “We wanted everything to be open,” says Kantor, who loves entertaining and relished the added space of her new suburban house (designed by architect Len Brandes). The connected kitchen, dining space, and family room spans nearly 50 feet, but elements such as beams and lighting help to define each area. “We wanted everyone to be at the same place at the same time with no divisions,” she says. “You can have 40 people in this room, and it doesn’t feel crowded at all. We have a very big family, so this has been a really useful room.”
What’s the secret to cooking for dozens of friends and family members?
Kantor says she does almost all the prep work before her guests arrive, and her top-of-the-line appliances (twin sets in some cases) are more than up to the task. A full Sub-Zero fridge and a full Sub-Zero freezer flank a counter above a bank of drawers, while a Wolf range, a Wolf microwave drawer in the island, and a second oven and microwave to the right of the main stove allow for cooking and heating many dishes at once.
Special holiday platters and serving pieces are stored in the butler’s pantry; a duo of dishwashers and pullout garbage drawers make cleaning up after the party that much speedier. “I’m no Martha Stewart by any means,” she says. “But we have come up with a system where I’m able to have 30-plus people, and it’s become easy.”
Another priority for the Kantors: a kid-friendly zone for their sons, ages 5 and 8. Kantor started hunting for stylish, family-friendly furnishings even before her builder, Murphy Brothers Contracting, broke ground. Her first purchase: a reclaimed wood table from Mecox Gardens, with an aged surface that’s forgiving to scratches and dings. Around the Danby marble-topped island, the Mitchell Gold barstools are covered in a stain-resistant, leather-like vinyl fabric that Kantor sourced. “Not everyone knows you can use your own material on Mitchell Gold chairs,” she notes. Kantor worked closely with Ryan Schildwachter from Murphy Brothers to fine-tune the drawings for the custom-cabinetry layout, which keeps the boys in mind with features such as a refrigerated drink drawer and snack drawers at their level. Glass-front cabinets house everyday dishes and glasses, putting the basics in plain view and close to the dishwashers.
Though this layout works beautifully for the family, as a designer, Kantor stresses that each project is unique to the client, and the classic kitchen “triangle” is just one part of the equation. “You have to think about how you use your kitchen and design it for the way you live,” she advises. In her case, that means a chic, comfortable, streamlined space that invites extended family and friends to come on in and stay awhile.
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Contracting and cabinets by Murphy Brothers Contracting. Architecture by Leonard Brandes Architect.