<http://schema.org/articleBody>
"Debra Singer makers her living cooking for others, so when she and her husband, builder Robert Singer, decided to redesign the kitchen in their decade-old center-hall colonial, they made sure that it catered perfectly to their personal and professional lives.  The Peapack, New Jersey\u2013based couple created a contemporary space where they can not only serve meals to their three sons\u201413-year-old twins Ryan and Elliot and 12-year-old Jonah\u2014and host parties for their family and friends, but where Debra can prepare delicacies on a large scale for her catering clients.   &amp;quot;We entertain a lot,&amp;quot; says Debra. &amp;quot;We have everything from casual gumbo get-togethers to elegant cocktail affairs. I recently had a party for 150 people.&amp;quot;  Although the space is large (it measures 412 square feet), kitchen and bath designer Ian Cairl, owner of Pluckemin, New Jersey\u2013based Platinum Designs, says it was a challenge to come up with an attractive layout that would accommodate a family eat-in component plus the cooktop, two sinks, two wall ovens, refrigerator, three freezer drawers, two dishwashers and the storage space that Debra needed for her business. &amp;quot;It is a long and lean space,&amp;quot; he says. &amp;quot;I approached it from an artistic standpoint by making furniturelike cabinetry that almost looks like sculpture.&amp;quot;  The pantry was moved to the hallway, and in addition to cooking, eating and food-prep zones, there is a dessert/butler area that comes in handy for staging large events. Two islands, which can be connected by a floating retractable stainless steel panel, were added. &amp;quot;I put my stand mixers on the panel,&amp;quot; says Debra, adding that the islands double as tables. &amp;quot;And the surface is practical because it wipes up easily.&amp;quot;  Monopoint halogen fixtures on the Venetian plaster ceiling allow the illumination to shift. &amp;quot;This way, the food can be highlighted,&amp;quot; says designer Theresa Scelfo, whose eponymous company is based in Morristown, New Jersey. &amp;quot;They make the room look sexy.&amp;quot;  Debra favors fresh fare and chose eco-friendly features that meshed with the family&amp;#039;s healthy lifestyle. The maple cabinets, for example, are made of reconstituted veneers, the stone floor is travertine, the backsplash is glass that resembles bamboo and the countertops are Volga blue granite. &amp;quot;I wanted natural and organic materials,&amp;quot; she says.  When the weather is good and the party is big, the work space expands: There is a second kitchen, which includes a pizza oven, in the backyard. Robert loves to act as the prep chef, and the kids, too, are right at home in the kitchen. &amp;quot;I love living in my kitchen,&amp;quot; Debra says. &amp;quot;The room has breathed new life into the house.&amp;quot;  Click here to see the gallery for &amp;quot;A Family-friendly Chef&amp;#039;s Kitchen&amp;quot;. "^^<http://www.w3.org/2001/XMLSchema#string>
<http://www.elledecor.com/design-decorate/room-ideas/a3968/a-family-friendly-chefs-kitchen-a-60831/>