Given the importance that kitchens play in all homes, we thought it worthwhile to share details on the remodeled kitchen from the 2024 Pasadena Showcase House as an illustrative case study.

Built in 1902, the Potter Daniels Manor, an English Tudor Revival residence, presented many challenges for all of the 30 interior and exterior designers. Without question, however, the team that was the most tested in terms of patience and ingenuity was the kitchen design team of Hermogeno Designs (HD). The team was not only tasked with remodeling an enormous kitchen, but also took on the venture of reinvigorating a separate butler pantry, adjoining family room, powder room and mud room.

As can be expected with a home of this age and expanse, there were several unexpected hurdles encountered by the kitchen design team. We explore critical aspects of the project, how the team expertly accomplished their goals, and corresponding expert tips that can be applied to your own kitchen.

Note: For those residing in Southern California, there is still ample time to visit this wonderful kitchen and house in-person now through May 19, 2024.

Table of Contents

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Challenges of the 2024 Pasadena Showcase Kitchen

Any major kitchen remodel will be rife with challenges given the inherent high stakes involved, such as:

  • Budgeting
  • Designing for kitchen workflow
  • Selecting appliances for budget, spacing & placement, energy efficiency, features, ease-of-use, maintenance and building codes
  • Choosing aesthetics that will mesh well with your home’s architecture and character
  • Considering future resale value
Pasadena Showcase House of Design 2024 Postcard image

Pasadena Showcase House of Design 2024: Potterr Daniels Manor

In the case of the 2024 Pasadena Showcase House of Design, the kitchen design team had to address the following additional hurdles:

  • Meeting an unmovable deadline of being public-ready for tours and media reviews
  • Designing without having direct input from the current homeowner
  • Balancing modern kitchen amenities within a traditional historic home built in 1902
  • Dealing with an unexpected setback of woefully outdated knob and tube electrical wiring
  • Encountering four layers of previously installed flooring that rendered the existing flooring unstable
  • Working around a large area constricted by the existing fireplace hearth
Pasadena Showcase House Kitchen 2024, workers removing layers of old flooring. Photo by Hermogeno Designs

Workers removing layers of old flooring.
Image courtesy of Hermogeno Designs

This extreme time-pressing situation is a great reminder to homeowners when hiring a designer for your remodel, you need to vet the full network of their extended team. Well-established, well-seasoned designers prove themselves not only by their experience, know-how and dedication, but by the partnerships and relationships they have cultivated through years of trustworthy collaboration.

Pasadena Showcase Kitchen 2024 Before Photo of Kitchen Galley with Mark Hermogeno. Photo by Hermogeno Designs

Designer Mark Hermogeno in the “Before Photo” of the main kitchen galley
Image courtesy of Hermogeno Designs

Speaking of the entirety of the 2024 Pasadena Showcase House, the most amazing aspect of the event is how much quality work is completed on time with such high stakes and pressure. Isolated designers, without safety nets of equally capable and reliable partners, would rarely, if ever, be able to pull off such a feat.

Pasadena Showcase Kitchen 2024: Hermogeno Designs meeting on-site with California Closets partner, Photo by Hermogeno Designs

Hermogeno Designs confers on-site with a partner from California Closets partner,
Image courtesy of Hermogeno Designs

Expert Tip #1:

Expect unexpected setbacks and challenges

Expert Tip #2:

Hire a design team that has a strong network of partners and in-house capabilities

 

Needs of the 2024 Pasadena Showcase Kitchen

The overriding requirement of the kitchen was to strike an elegant balance across several criteria, e.g.:

  • Traditional aesthetics with modern amenities
  • Full-fledge culinary entertaining capabilities with convenient day-to-day functionality
  • Luxurious aesthetic with convenient access
  • Comfort within a high performance kitchen
Pasadena Showcase Kitchen 2024: Hermogeno Designs preliminary design plans and mockups. Photo by Hermogeno Designs

Preliminary Design Plans
Image courtesy of Hermogeno Designs

When taking a step back from the impressively imposing size of this unique kitchen space, these requirements can be viewed as being fairly universal for any kitchen remodel, regardless of size, layout and budget.

That said, the overriding goal of the kitchen design team was to create a culinary space that provided the following capabilities and experience:

  • A space that is enjoyable in which to spend extended time with family and friends
  • A kitchen that has ample, modern amenities that are easy and convenient to use
  • A design that balances grandeur with convenient workflow and accessibilty for all appliances

Expert Tip #3:

Learn from other kitchen remodels to understand how key needs were addressed, no matter the size or budget

Expert Tip #4:

Thoroughly review your desired workflow and how you expect your appliances to integrate functionally and aesthetically

Expert Tip #5:

Choose appliances and materials with durability and ease-of-maintenance

 

The Hermogeno Designs-Fisher & Paykel Partnership

Appliances play a key role in any kitchen remodel, so naturally we were interested in learning the underlying reasons that HD chose Fisher & Paykel (F&P) as their appliance partner.

Pasadena Showcase Kitchen 2024: Covered cooler drawer below Coffee Station. Photo by Fisher & Paykel

Coffee Station and Integrated Cooler Drawer.
Image courtesy of Fisher & Paykel

First, we learned that Hermogeno Designs has partnered with F&P extensively in previous projects, so they are quite familiar with the quality and range of products the innovative appliance brand has to offer.

Second, in terms of balancing traditional with modern features, Fisher & Paykel’s hybrid gas and induction stovetop range gave HD a unique appliance perfect for the needs of this particular household.

Lastly, the large combination of appliances and design styles offered by F&P, gave HD much-needed flexibility to optimize the kitchen’s layout, as well as that of the butler’s pantry, to meet their highly aspirational goals:

  • Professional Style: distinctively bold stainless steel construction and features
  • Contemporary Style: clean lines with complementary tonal contrasts for a timeless aesthetic
  • Integrated Style: non-cooking appliances paneled within custom cabinetry
  • Minimal Style: cooking appliances treated with a subtle aesthetic style to blend seamlessly into the kitchen, often chosen to complement Integrated style appliances
Pasadena Showcase Kitchen 2024 covered Fisher & Paykel dish washer next to microwave

Integrated panel-ready dishwasher next to a Professional style microwave
Image courtesy of Fisher & Paykel

All of these appliance capabilities played key roles in enabling Hermogeno Designs to create and deliver a kitchen space that met their original vision, as we will discuss in the next section.

Snyder Diamond, a distributor of Fisher & Paykel appliances, also played a key role in fulfilling the exact appliance models and delivering them on-site in a timely fashion.

Expert Tip #6:

If you have a preferred kitchen appliance brand in mind, make sure to choose a remodel team that has extensive experience working with these products, as well as an established relationship with a trusted local supplier

Expert Tip #7:

Preference should be given to appliance brands that have a breadth of products and models to ensure an appropriate fit for balance and functionality

Also see:

 

Themes and Inspiration for the 2024 Pasadena Showcase Kitchen

HD designers Mark Hermogeno and Lynette Chin reimagined the legacy Tudor kitchen with the home’s most famous resident in mind — Susanna Bransford Emery Holmes, AKA The Silver Queen (or “Susie” to her friends). The designers learned that Susie was raised a farmer’s daughter in the Midwest who eventually became the wealthiest woman in the world after inheriting a Utah-based silver mining enterprise.

In short, she appreciated her status and financial means and was not hesitant to enjoy a lavish and eccentric lifestyle. For example, she once held a social event at the home during the 1920’s that cost an estimated $300,000, which would equate to approxinately $2.5 million in today’s dollars.

Hence, the designers pondered the following questions:

  • What would a woman of her taste, experience and wealth enjoy? 
  • How do you ensure functionality, while making the space engaging and enticing for guests, as well as for the homeowner?
Pasadena Showcase Kitchen portrait photo of Susanna Bransford Emery Holmes black & white

Susanna Bransford Emery Holmes, AKA The Silver Queen

As a world traveler, Susie would have had a style that was a bit eclectic in furniture, elements and patterns, that would naturally reflect the “best of the best” that she encountered throughout the world.

Taking a page from euro-centric design, the design team chose panel-ready appliances, giving the space a more cohesive feel with very clean lines. As you step into the Butler’s Pantry from the dining room, you might miss the Fisher & Paykel 30″ Column Fridge, 30″ Column Freezer and a 24″ Compact 23 Function Combination Steam Oven in the pantry they blend seamlessly into the design, sitting patiently until needed.

Pasadena Showcase Kitchen 2024 Butler's Pantry with panel covered Fisher & Paykel Fridge and Freezer

The Butler’s Pantry with panel covered column fridge and freezer, with a Minimal style combination steam oven to the right
Image courtesy of Fisher & Paykel

The pantry was designed for use as an everyday working kitchen, as it houses three key appliances — refrigerator, freezer, and compact “combi” steam oven — which would allow for everyday meal preparation. Steps further into the main kitchen is a Combination Dual Fuel 48″ Gas & Induction Range for more gregarious culinary adventures and multi-course entertaining.

Pasadena Showcase Kitchen 2024 Fisher & Paykel dual gas induction range Image courtesy of Fisher & Paykel

Fisher & Paykel Professional Dual Fuel Range, 48″, 4 Burners, 4 Induction Zones, Self-Cleaning
Image courtesy of Fisher & Paykel

The main cooking area has a generous amount of luxurious counter space, fabricated with Cosentino’s Dekton, maintenance-free, high performance, ultra-compact porcelain. Similar to the European style in the Butler’s Pantry, the Integrated Double DishDrawer Dishwashers and Multi-Temperature Cool Drawer, beneath the Coffee Station, are paneled to provide a more uniform, visual aesthetic.

Pasadena Showcase Kitchen 2024: Integrated cooler drawer below Coffee Station. Photo by Fisher & Paykel

Integrated Cooler Drawer below Coffee Station.
Image courtesy of Fisher & Paykel

Awash in Dunn-Edwards’ Color of the Year, Skipping Stones, a serene, steely blue with hints of green and gray, the kitchen is a reflection of both sleek modernism and warm traditional décor. The dominant Skipping Stones blue is then complemented throughout the space with many subtle, yet interesting, color variations, textures and wall coverings that combine to provide soothing comfort with visual interest.

Pasadena Showcase Kitchen 2024: Kitchen corner showing blues and wall coverings

A corner of the kitchen showing the rich color palette, patterns and wall coverings

Other examples of how the HD design team brought the persona of the Silver Queen to life include:

  • Silver fixtures and hardware — polished nickels and polished chromes — throughout the space as an on-trend nod to her silver fortune
  • The antique English secretary desk with an exotic Moroccan chair, centered on two black & white photos of Susie
  • An Agatha Christie novel placed on the coffee table of the family room
  • Two white sitting chairs reupholstered in the English style
  • Keeping the original Tudor-style windows that were part of Susie’s conversion of the home from Craftsman to Tudor 
Pasadena Showcase Kitchen 2024: Silver Powder Room mirror and fixtures. Photo by Hermogeno Designs

“Silver” fixtures in the Powder Room
Image courtesy of Hermogeno Designs

The key question to ask about this culinary design case study is:

Would Susie enjoy this space and would she want to spend extended periods of time here?

Pasadena Showcase 2024 Kitchen designers Mark Hermogeno and Lynette Chin

Designers Mark Hermogeno and Lynette Chin

Speaking on behalf of Susie, we think she would absolutely enjoy passing time in this incredibly attractive and functional space, for the following reasons:

  • With a talented line cook, she could explore delectable recipes she encountered in far reaches of the globe
  • The kitchen is conveniently centrally-located next to the outdoor kitchen and dining area, as well as the culinary garden
  • The kitchen provides three intimate indoor areas (secretary desk, family room, and mud room office) for her to gather her thoughts, plan her days, read her favorite authors, and write correspondence to her many international acquaintances, all while enjoying a hot cup of English tea and biscuits!
Pasadena Showcase House Kitchen 2024 Kitchen Mud Room, photo by Thibaut

View of the quaint mud room
Image courtesy of Thibaut

Expert Tip #8

Design your kitchen with meaning — get inspired to make your space special and unique to your lifestyle and experiences

Expert Tip #9

Design with the goal of creating an atmosphere where family and friends will want to gather unfettered for hours on end

Expert Tip #10

Envision how your remodeled kitchen can improve your happiness and overall well-being

 

What We Especially Like About the Design & Underlying Trends

Pasadena Showcase Kitchen 2024, Family Room, photo by Fisher & Paykel

View of the Family Room (AKA Keeping Room)
Image courtesy of Fisher & Paykel

Having visited the kitchen and adjoining rooms and spaces several times, we have several thoughts on how this space resonates with us personally, as well as meshes with industry trends:

  • Serves as a “multifunctional heart of a healthy home” (hat tip to Kitchen & Bath Design News for this emerging trend from a recent industry survey)
  • Has a culinary playground of appliances that is deceptively at-the-ready for all cooking needs, big and small
  • Allows the intriguing persona of the Silver Queen to come to life in a well-integrated design
  • Plays well with the proximity to the formal dining room, outdoor kitchen & dining area, and culinary gardens
  • Has intimate spaces within a larger space: family room; secretary desk; powder room; and mud room
  • Uses silver as a playful, yet elegant homage to Susie that unifies the design motif
  • Has two-kitchens-in-one that is ideal for a multigenerational household, busy daily lifestyles, and large gatherings
  • Promotes upcycling with the reupholsering of two nearly 100-year-old antique English wing chairs with performance fabric
  • Incorporates gorgeous countertops that are durable, accident proof, sustainable and easy-to-care-for by using Cosentino’s Dekton solid surfacing
  • Reminds one to “Source Locally!” as you view the garden conservatory from the primary kitchen sink window
  • Revives the Keeping Room, where friends and family can keep company with the home chef!
  • Uses the kitchen as a means to socialize around health, nutrition and hobbies (e.g. cooking, baking, serving tea, reading, etc.)
Pasadena Showcase Kitchen 2024: main kitchen galley with view of outdoor conservatory

A view of the outdoor Conservatory and Culinary Gardens

 

Project Resource Links

Here is a resource list of the many key partners and suppliers that contributed to the success of this impressive project.

Unless specifically noted, these parties and items were involved with all five spaces: Kitchen; Butler’s Pantry; Family Room; Powder Room; and Mud Room.

 

Recommended Reading

 

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