| | Published February 1st, 2012
| Miramonte Kitchen Tour - It Takes a Community
| | By Sophie Braccini |  | | Orinda's Monique Jasper in her Glorietta kitchen. Photos Andy Scheck
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The Miramonte Parents Club is aiming for the heart-for the heart of the home, with a kitchen tour; for the hearts of parents, as they visit the homes and give to the schools to support programs deprived by the State's repeated budgetary cuts. The six kitchens on this year's tour were selected to intrigue you: 6 very different settings, from a 70-year-old traditional adobe ranch house to a contemporary kitchen that has been featured in Pottery Barn. Here's a sneak peek at two of the Tour's kitchens:
The state-of-the-art, picture perfect kitchen at Wilder, where the tour begins, is located in a model home at the new development that lies just off Highway 24. The views and the incredible setting are worth the ticket price.
The kitchen is set in a 5,400-square-foot residence, conceived by Robert Hidey Architects with the intent of linking indoor and outdoor living: the central patio is accessible from different rooms and windows all around frame stunning, open views of the wilderness.
The kitchen itself has been designed as a family hub and entertainment center, full of light and peace thanks to the harmony of white and grey chosen by MEMA Design.
The kitchen nook is a bright sitting area where a large rectangular dining table can accommodate eight people. The distressed wood table fits well on one of the most interesting decorative features of the house: Black's Farmwood reclaimed hardwood floors.
At first glance it appears that there is not much in the way of storage space in the kitchen: no deep drawers near the large range in which to store pots and pans, no pantry closet, no counter space near the range, and the oversized honed marble island with its five stools seems to invite more a conversation than active cooking. But the mystery is soon explained: behind the range is another area- the "prep area", with a plethora of cabinets, a sink and a dishwasher. Because kitchens have become the center hub of many parties, it was important to create a prep/cleaning area that would be hidden from guests. The appliances are the Wolf/Sub-Zero combination and include a double-oven and warming drawer.
Interior designer Monique Jasper's kitchen is in the Glorietta neighborhood. The kitchen is the place where her family lives, cooks and entertains. Jasper's kitchen is a mix of functionality and timeless refinement.
The Jaspers built their Orinda home five years ago and Monique, as she worked with architect Doug McQuillan, had precise requirements for the whole house in general, and particularly the kitchen. "I was quite meticulous about how the kitchen had to be laid out," she says, "I cook and I wanted things to be practical when we entertain. I also wanted the space to be a place where my three sons would hang out or do their homework."
Jasper oversaw functional arrangements such as deep drawers directly under the Viking range, and two cutting boards for efficient prep. For the layout, she asked for a large nook area where her young sons come and do their home work, and for entertaining, she had the architect create a 'butler's pantry', a space between the kitchen and the formal dining room where dishes, wine or plates can be set for convenient serving.
Jasper's designing style is apparent in the overall feel she gave to the kitchen, as well as in the details. "We chose honed black granite for the center isle," she says, "while the other counters are made of basalt, which is a lighter shade of deep grey." The kitchen cabinets are white, the walls a light grey, the floor a deep, dark cherry; and the whole space is filled with light as two walls mostly made of windows overlook the garden. The kitchen opens into a family room, which is full of light itself.
The classic and elegant feel of the space is enhanced by such details as the kitchen door knobs that are miniature shiny bolts, or the design of the faucet overlooking the farmyard sink that could have come from an east coast beach house.
"The Parents' Club (of Miramonte High School) was looking for a way to bring the community together at some sort of fundraising event. We felt that a Kitchen Tour was the perfect event to host," said Miramonte parent Victoria Bizieff. "Each class donated a lovely basket stuffed with goodies for the raffle. They will be on display at Wilder, the starting point of the tour. Dianna Condon Cuisine will provide morning goodies at Wilder. Table 24 will also present food from their new south-of-the-border restaurant, Barbacoa, at one of the homes."
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The Tour takes place on Thursday, February 9, from 9:00 a.m. to 2:00 p.m. Tickets are $35.00 and can be purchased at
McDonnell Nursery,
Orinda Books,
Lazy K House at Orchard Nursery,
or online at
www.miramonteparents.com
(click on Web Store).
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 | | The large, open kitchen of the Wilder model home.
|  | | The Black's Farmwood reclaimed hardwood floor is a striking feature of the Wilder kitchen.
|  | | Behind the Wilder kitchen is a complete prep area.
|  | | The Wilder kitchen, with a marble island and sink, opens onto the family room.
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The beverage corner, with a refrigerator below, in Jasper's kitchen.
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Jasper's kitchen opens onto the garden.
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Timeless detail adds to the ambience of Jasper's kitchen.
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Lamorinda Weekly, Moraga CA