Features Kitchen Gear Design Entertaining Two Connecticut Designers Win Clarke Kitchen Design Awards (sponsored post) CTbites Team June 13, 2018 Every two years Clarke, New England’s Official Sub-Zero/Wolf/Cove Showroom and Test Kitchen, hosts its Sub-Zero and Wolf Kitchen Design Contest to celebrate the best kitchen designs in the six New England states. On May 10th, Clarke awarded $15,000 in prize money to first and second place winners in three categories: Traditional Kitchen, Contemporary Kitchen and Transitional Kitchen. This year, two of the six awards went to kitchen designers in Connecticut. Veronica Campbell of Deane Inc. received the first-place award for a transitional kitchen, while Gerard Ciccarello of Covenant Kitchens & Baths won second place in the traditional kitchen category. Veronica Campbell’s Kitchen – 1st Place TransitionalVeronica's “Manhasset Mainstream” project, encompassing a magnificent kitchen and butler’s pantry, caught the eye of the judges for combining ease of use, stylish design and careful placement of Sub-Zero and Wolf's industry-leading kitchen technology. The Sub-Zero refrigerator appears more like an armoire than refrigeration in this space, while a Wolf Dual-Fuel Range was chosen for its multi-purpose uses and a Wolf Convection Steam Oven gave the family even more options for efficiently serving this family. This kitchen was designed for a family with five children, so keeping clutter to a minimum was paramount. The homeowner's top two design goals were to create "stations" for breakfast/coffee prep and beverages, while creating a bright, clean blue and white kitchen. Gerard Ciccarello’s Kitchen – 2nd Place TraditionalGerard partnered with Kira Van Duesen and Pamela Ciccarello on a kitchen known as “Relaxed and Refined, Elegant Meets Easygoing.” When the homeowners decided to forego a dining room in their new construction waterfront home, the kitchen needed to be inviting with plenty of seating to entertain. With seating for five at the island and six to eight at the zinc-topped table, they achieved that goal. Mixed metals including touches of bronze, copper, zinc and brushed nickel give the space a timeless feel. A Sub-Zero 36” all-refrigerator, as well as 24” all-freezer, were chosen and then a pantry cabinet was designed to mirror the 24” freezer. The designer’s watchwords were livable, durable, comfortable and timeless. The end result is a space that feels natural and breathtaking at the same time. With all of the thought that went into the space, it still looks fresh and not contrived. For more kitchen inspiration, visit Clarke’s Inspiration Gallery at ClarkeLiving.com.