Kitchen Cooks Up Fusion of East and West

The prep and primary sinks are also made of the same countertop granite and have some special faucets. The primary sink has a Dornbracht faucet with an industrial-size spray arm for easy cleanup. The prep sink, between the fridge and the griddle, has a Kohler pot-filler faucet, which even reaches pots on the counter. The island countertop is the same granite around the sink, but the rest is a U-shaped wenge-wood countertop with a cutting board that slides over the granite when Jennifer needs more chopping space.

"That has worked out really well," says Jennifer, who believes a countertop material should fit the area's uses. She often uses the island to serve her guests, and she notes that the wood surface is easier on china and crockery than granite. Maintenance is simple, too, says Jennifer. She applied mineral oil — every three months following installation and then less often. Jennifer likes her wood countertop so much that she's been using the material for more of her clients.

The other revelation has been the steam oven. "Everyone should have a second oven," says Jennifer, "and this one is a convection oven, too." She not only steams veggies, but she also uses the convection to refresh leftovers.