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At Home in theNorthwest 2 By Michelle Brunner Special to The Washington Post G rowing up, there was one place to be after every holiday meal: my grandma’s kitchen table. It was a hub of activity and chatter that went far beyond divvying up left- overs and discussing who should get the last slice of pie. Stories were swapped, highballs were drunk, and cards were played. If a piece of furniture could evoke a sense of family and com- munity, the table was it. Helen Parker, creative di- rector of deVOL kitchens, has similar warmmemo- ries of this once-essential piece of furniture: "My dad would sit at the kitchen table and get out books, or look at stamps and use it as a place to continue hanging out; it was so much more than just a place to eat," she says. Lately, a handful of designers and tastemakers are embracing the old- fashioned table as a homier alternative to the ubiq- uitous island. Cabinetry companies such as deVOL and Plain English have launched U.S. showrooms to an overwhelmingly posi- tive response in the past year, and their advertising often features images of kitchens with tables front and center. The spaces present a cozy and inviting antidote to overly sleek kitchens with tricked-out islands. There's a reason that "gathered around the island" doesn't have the same nostalgic ring as "gathered around the table." "A table has a domestic warmth to it that an island doesn't," says New York interior designer Steven Gambrel. "The way a casual outfit encourages a laid-back vibe and black- tie dress creates a formal tone, the same is true of an island," he says. "When an island is built-in and matches the cabinets, it has a stiff, immobile presence. It doesn't have the same sense of ease as a wooden table that's got some age." For Parker, adding a vin- tage table is a way to create a more authentic, eclectic vibe. "All of those matching parts don't feel as soulful as when you have great big table with a bunch of flow- ers where the kids can do their homework," she says. Gambrel also cites light- ness as a part of a table's appeal. "Your eye sees under a table because the legs raise it off the ground; it feels more airy and less contrived than an island, which can feel bulky and dated," he says. Part of the problem in Parker's opin- ion is the temptation for homeowners to fit every- thing and the kitchen sink into the island. "It's become a big box with too many appliances, stools, and a garbage bin; it ends up not being an aesthetically pleasing piece of furniture," she says. But the fully loaded island has a tight grip on America's imagination. When people talk about the heart of the kitchen today, they're often refer- ring to this multifunctional monolith. A recent Houzz survey estimated that 38 percent of kitchen remod- els involved adding an island (that doesn't include all of the homes that already have one). Some trend forecasters even predict that we'll see a rise in the popularity of double islands in future years. According to Home Advisor, the average cost of a kitchen island is $3,000 to $5,000, though custom-built options can be $10,000 or more. Of course, not every kitchen can accommodate a built- in island. For older houses with small or galley-style cookspaces, planning for an island involves open- ing up a wall or bumping out the back, which can increase renovation costs dramatically. In these situa- Move over, islands: Kitchen tables are making a comeback Designers and tastemakers are embracing the old-fashioned kitchen table as a homier alternative to the ubiquitous island. DEVOL VIA THE WASHINGTON POST Advertisement Advertisement A SPECIALTY PUBLICATION PRODUCED BY THE SEATTLE TIMES MARKETING DEPARTMENT How tocreateyourownPacific Northwestdreamgetaway PAGE6 A home away AT HOME I N THE NORTHWE ST INSIDE | January19,2020 FEATUREDHOME: TheRidgeatBigRock isamaster-plannedcommunity featuring aclubhouseandsevenparks. |F8 E XPLORE Kondoyour life: Tips fororganizing storagespaces,campinggearand more |F8 Aging inplace: Theseupgradesmake life easieraswegetolder |F8 At Home in theNorthwest is produced by the Advertising Publications Department of The Seattle Times. To advertise in NWhomes, contact your account executive or call 206-624-7355. For more, visit homes.seattletimes.com. Editors: JohnMerrill, Sara Kennedy nwhomeseditor@seattletimes.com tions, a small- to medium- size table can be a practical and affordable solution, offering comparable prep space. A solid pine table from Ikea will set you back just $99, while an antiqued elm one with a distressed metal base from Restora- tion Hardware starts at $1,095. If you're in the market for a truly unique vintage piece, 1st dibs has an Italian oak farm table with geometric inlay for $4,000. The earliest islands were humble work tables placed in the center of the kitchen. If you were wealthy, it was where servants orches- trated dinner - think of the downstairs buzz of "Downton Abbey." If you weren't, it was where you sat to peel potatoes or roll out pie crust, often in soli- tude, because the kitchen was probably cut off from the rest of the house. HOME DESIGN