BEYOND THE COOK SPACE

With the kitchen devoted solely to cooking having gone the way of the butter churn, it's no wonder that today's kitchen remodels are multifunctional, too. More and more they include adjacent spaces-mudrooms, laundry areas, storage-packed seating nooks-that workjust as hard. "With people spending more time than everat home, they're rethinking how their homes function and seeing new possibilities," says Airy Kitchens designer Sean Lewis. The resulting "kitchen-plus" renovations yield spaces that boost efficiency, sure, but are also more enjoyable to live with. Witness the projects on the following pages.

- NINA MALKIN

MORE OPEN, COZIER TOO

> Most folks enjoy intimate get-togethers as much as big gatherings; in an ideal world, homes have space for both. That's precisely what designer Sean Lewis was able to deliver in the renovation of the kitchen and hangout space in this 1929 Tudor Revival in Ardmore, PA.

Gutting the kitchen area delivered a roughly 9-by-17-foot space where the sink, appliances, and cabinets now line two perpendicular walls, while an island provides more workspace, plus seating that edges into the dining room thanks to a large cased opening that joins the two spaces. The adjacent unheated mudroom, which held the refrigerator and dishwasher, was transformed into a cozy lounge with bonus storage, while preserving back-door access.

"The open concept makes it easier to interact and entertain, while the new nook is perfect for small groups and alone time," says homeowner Samantha Chapman. Deadpans husband Adam Langley: “Having the food in the same room as the stove is a nice change, too."

WHAT THEY DID

Opening up the footprint allowed for a large 149-square-foot kitchen connected to the dining room and a 52-square-foot lounge that holds a table and built-in banquette.

1. Created a new sink and range layout by demoing a wall that enclosed an existing dining nook, the old booth seat, and sink cabinets, closing up one small window in the process.

2. Created a large cased opening to connect the kitchen and dining room, adding an island with seating that edges across the room divide. Rebuilt an original dining hutch, replacing a lower cabinet with a beverage fridge.

3. Put the main refrigerator on the wall where the range had been and amped up storage with tall pantry cabinets.

4. Added an archway to a lounge area with a table, a banquette with storage, and a coffee bar with wall cabinets above and drawers below.