This photograph shows the main kitchen area of our healthy house. We used Corian
countertops, and steel cabinets.
We had the original plywood cutting boards replaced with ones
custom made from solid maple, to eliminate their formaldehyde
off-gassing.
The cabinet under the sink is lined on the bottom with stainless
steel, for easy cleaning. The doors are vented, to allow maximum
ventilation, which helps prevent mold. The counters around the
sink are curved and seamlessly integrated with the countertop,
to prevent water accumulation and resulting mold growth. The sink
is also Corian, and seamlessly integrated with the rest of the
countertop. A point-of-use water filter provides a second level
of filtration beyond the whole-house system for water that it
used in cooking (for drinking, we use glass-bottled spring water).
We chose not to install a garbage disposal, due to their tendancy
to accumulate mold.
The stove top is an electric, glass-top 5-burner design, made
by General
Electric. This style helps make it easy to clean, and helps
minimize dirt accumulation. The electric oven is located under
the stove so that fumes that it gives off during cooking or cleaning
can be easily carried away by the oversized, high-velocity exhaust
fan, made by Broan.
There is no gas used or piped anywhere in the house (gas heaters
for water and radiant heat are located in a small shed just outside
the house).
On the left of the photo are a full-sized refrigerator and freezer, made by
Sub Zero. The dishwasher,
just barely visible to the left of the sink, is a water conserving model made
by Asko, lined with stainless steel for easy cleaning. A small microwave oven
is mounted to the right of and above the stove.
As in the rest of the house, the floor
is made from 18" marble tile. The brown material on the floor
in the photo is kraft paper that we used to protect the floor
while we were moving furniture, etc.
The overhead can lights are an air-tight variety made by Juno,
to prevent air infiltration from the attic.
Outside the window above the sink you can see the detached
garage, located about 12 feet away from the house, and connected
by a walkway with overhead rain protection.
You might be interested in the following book about kitchen
design, from Amazon.com:
