Howard Backen is the wine county architect, in demand for both remodeling and new homes, restaurants and wineries.

For homes, his designs often include a great room that extends from a giant fireplace on one end through the dining area and into an open kitchen with an analog of the fireplace at the facing end — a showcase range, a fireplace — or perhaps a pizza oven.

Although hiring the St. Helena architect is out of the question for most homeowners, even for those with resources, — he’s so busy he may be unavailable — his ideas on kitchen design include many that anyone contemplating a redesign or a new kitchen could consider.

His view of an ideal kitchen is determined by function, natural light, task light and whether it’s an open kitchen or how it relates to an adjacent room.

The open kitchen

He feels that isolating the kitchen from the rest of the house is difficult, particularly since so many people want open kitchens. He has to consider the whole house when he’s thinking about the kitchen.

He says that three-quarters of his clients want open kitchens, and he tries not to talk them out of anything but likes to stand on the site and say, “Let’s not lose this view.”

“Some people want to have classic separate kitchens,” he said, “but most prospective clients come to me because they’ve seen my other work and like it.”

At any rate, he likes the kitchen to have an Eastern exposure to get the morning light.

“I like the kitchen to be as close to 100 percent transparent as possible so we can see the outside and take advantage of the magnificent views we have here,” he says. “Think of a 360-degree view as a starter, with it open except for the lower cabinets. We know we can’t have that, but it’s a good place to start.”

Obviously, he likes to use the natural light and notes that in one house he designed, the walls and ceiling both open up, though canvas ceiling panels are required to block the sun at times.

The arrangement of a kitchen

The prime focal point of the kitchen is the cooking unit, whether it’s a full range or a countertop. “It’s the most beautiful part of the kitchen and should be treated as a focal point, like a hearth. Place an appropriate hood over it and it provides a strong architectural connection like a fireplace, and in open kitchens, it can be placed on center with the fireplace at the other end of the great room,” he says.

He recommends that if the budget allows, including a true fireplace with a rotisserie or a pizza oven. “Cooking on a fire in the kitchen is a real treat and dramatic for parties.”

One popular feature in his homes is a fireplace with the fire in the back fed through the side, and a rotisserie in front, as in many restaurants. This prevents the cooking meat from dripping on the fire. You can have either horizontal or vertical rotisseries, the latter like a gyro in a Greek sandwich shop.

He often hangs pots over the range or countertop burners, but notes, “If the hood is against the wall, you can put a pot rack over the island or middle table.”

The second focus is the sink. Attempt to have it under a large window so you can look outside while you’re working. You want the opening (window) to be as wide as you can, but you also need to have the dishes convenient. “About six feet is as far away as the sink should be from the storage, but that gives you more than 12 feet open above the sink.”

Another approach is two sinks, one at each end of a counter, and each with its own window for more light.

Backen says, “I like to make things as open as I can, including shelves. If you spend a lot of money on dishes, you should let people see them. Don’t put dishes in the lower cabinets. It’s not practical. At my home, I put the dishware above the island or work table, plates instead of pots. The open shelf rack also includes lighting for the island.”

He warns, however, that most expensive kitchens are over-designed and have too many unusual things. “I try to keep details simple and functional.”

The third issue is the working triangle, but it’s not a visual item. “You want to have the refrigerator convenient, but the real important elements are the cooking element and sink.” The refrigerator is just refrigerated storage, like shelves with their room-temperature storage.

“I like to have the refrigerator in a closed pantry, perhaps behind the cooking area or otherwise out of sight, but to have secondary cooling units such as drawers nearby,” he notes.

This allows the whole kitchen to be open with no refrigerator and no upper cabinets. The dishes can also be kept in the pantry.

You’ll be washing dishes in the sink, but also need dishwashers. Most estate homes have both a conventional dishwasher (plus perhaps split-drawer units) plus a glass washer, perhaps in the pantry.

He likes people to be able to enjoy the kitchen as much as they can. “It’s nice to have an eating area for breakfast in the kitchen to get the morning sun. This can be a separate table or the popular island with stools.”

“A sitting area in the kitchen is nice, too, for people like to congregate there while you’re working.”

His favorite brands of appliances include Sub Zero refrigerators, Wolf stoves, Miele dishwashers and Viking wall ovens. The hoods are generally custom, and he likes integral concrete or stainless, or farm sinks with a stone top.

Stainless vs. other materials in the kitchen:

He likes materials used in commercial kitchens, so stainless is very good, but warns that stainless should contrast with other surfaces or it may appear muddy. He likes to contrast it with tile or stone. “I also like wood and use wood faces on appliances in my home.”

Marble is his favorite work surface. “It’s been used for centuries. I use Carrera marble and I’ve never had any problem with staining, though it has to be sealed”

He notes, that like wood, marble can be sanded down to renew the surface. Going against a popular fad, he says, “My least favorite surface is granite. I don’t like it as a material, though true black granite can be effective.”

He recommends what may seem a plebeian material, concrete. “One material that’s come a long way is concrete. It can be very durable and there’s an infinite choice of color and finish. Best of all it can be used for integral sinks, which are beautiful.” He adds, “Stainless steel counters as in commercial kitchens also allow integral sinks and are also great.”

He also likes wood surfaces. “At the MacMurray Ranch in the Russian River Valley, we had an old mahogany counter and all we had to do was sand and refinish it to make it as good as new. We added another matching surface. It does have to be varnished, but modern varnishes are very durable.”

He also mentions soapstone as another option. “I’ve mixed it with wood effectively.”

Floors can be anything, but he likes wood best. “At my home, we have wood and washable throw rugs.”

He says, “Oak is very strong and it lasts forever with an epoxy finish. I’ve also used painted epoxies on wood floors to provide interesting patterns.”

Lighting

He thinks down lighting is effective in kitchens, but not in the rest of the house. “It must be dimmable, however.”

He adds that fluorescent lights are fine now that they are color corrected and can be dimmed. “They will become more popular because of title 24, which requires saving energy.”

Sidebar

Outdoor kitchens are a natural in Napa Valley

Outdoor kitchens are very popular in Napa Valley, and people like to cook outside. Backen says, “I like to provide openings as large as possible to gain easy access to the outdoor kitchen and eating area. It’s best to put a structure or cover over the outdoor cooking area and dining areas, however. It can just be a roof without walls. It ties the area together, but it also provides protection from the sun during hot days and on cool and rainy nights.”

At a minimum, you need a trellis overhead to block the sun and provide unity, with a cover you can use when needed. “People from outside this area often don’t realize how cool it gets here in the evenings, even in the summer,” says Backen. “You need outdoor heating quite often. A fireplace helps. Otherwise, it doesn’t work and you won’t use it.”

The outdoor eating area at the MacMurray Ranch in the cool Russian River Valley is an excellent example. It’s a room except for two walls. Along one wall is a large fireplace with side feed for cooking.

Another possibility is to define the eating area with trees and their overhanging branches (as at Bill Harlan’s home).

What do you need in an outdoor eating area: A fireplace with a rotisserie plus a cooktop (gas or charcoal grill, perhaps both).

A pizza oven is great but not used as much as the fireplace and rotisserie since it takes longer to heat up. Some have gas to heat them quickly, but then burn wood.

Don’t forget the refrigerator and full-blown dishwasher. They have to be protected, another reason for the cover. “I like to have the outdoor area pretty self sustained or you won’t use it,” he warns.