Open Minded

German dancer and choreographer Pina Bausch, made conventionally famous when director Pedro Almodovar featured her in his film, Talk to Her, is reportedly known not only for her bold and visually arresting work but for her rather bleak vision of humanity and its power struggles, her neoexpressionist approach and her dramatic, surreal stagings. So it's rather interesting that Bausch, captured in a painting by Mexican artist Raul Oscar Martinez, is the central welcoming figure in a modest, two-flat kitchen in an established western Chicago suburb. And yet as one explores more deeply the life and ideas of this great figure of modern dance, it becomes just a bit clearer as to why the homeowners not only appreciate this work of art but why it symbolizes for them a warm embrace that invites family and friends into their kitchen and home.

"I always try to speak about all of us, about what we feel, about our same language, about our wishes, our hopes, our desires, our fears, about love and yes, about being human," said Bausch at her American premiere of For the Children of Yesterday, Today & Tomorrow. This simple gesture, arms outstretched, combined with a simple design, makes this 175-sq.-ft. space an open invitation to all and a peaceful place to be.

The kitchen is a remodel for a tight space with limited plan options, according to design architect Stan Weisbrod, principal of Oak Park, IL-based SJW Architects & Associates. "The owner opted to forego the standard fare of current kitchen remodeling trends, such as granite countertops, cutesy pulls and knobs, steroid-sized stoves and tricked-out upper kitchen cabinets, for modern simplicity," said Weisbrod. "Really, the scheme is alarmingly, well, simple with an underlying Asian feel."

Specifically, the clients didn't want the purity of design to be overshadowed by an excessive amount of hardware. So it was kept to a minimum, or more accurately, eliminated all together. "There's no hardware on any of the cabinets," said Weisbrod. "Rather, a reveal designed into the drawer fronts facilitates access. And on the base cabinets, we opted for sliding doors." There may have been a trade-off, as a bit of space is sacrificed for sliders, but the owners wanted a clean design free from ornamentation of any type. Consequently, as Weisbrod asserted, "the decision to remain hardware-free held."

In a similar fashion, the clients didn't want hardware up top…or for that matter, cabinets. "While I realize that for many people, this is not preferable and that an abundance of cabinetry is a remodeling requirement, it was just the opposite for this couple," said Weisbrod. "Moreover, many people certainly don't want their wares on display." How true. Aren't we all more comfortable tucking our dishes and bowls behind closed doors, allowing just the few "artsy" or expensive items to