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Cake baker Lisa Link took great care in the design of her new kitchen, where everything has a perfect place for convenience and functionality.
Julianne Rainone
Lisa Link began making cakes at just 16 years old, wanting to try it because she thought it would be fun. Years later, she found herself making cakes for friends and coworkers as she’s a “terrible card person but can always make you a birthday cake!”
Link works for the Roanoke Regional Partnership as the director of administration, where she handles the “details,” such as booking rooms, making reservations, and handling gift baskets and catering. It’s partly thanks to her job that she managed to build solid contacts in the wedding industry, and as word got out about her cakes, so did the referrals, leading to the start of her side business, Cakes by Lisa.
Lisa and her husband Gary moved into their home in August 1999; nearly 20 years later, they decided it was time for a kitchen upgrade. The renovation was important to Lisa for several reasons, not only for cake baking. She cooks every night and wanted a comfortable space that offered plenty of convenience, as well as entertaining space. Everything in her kitchen has a specific purpose for how it’s laid out and why it’s in a particular location.
“I have bad knees and hips, so the first requirement was that no cupboards could be below the waist,” Link says. “Everything is on a pull-out drawer so I don’t ever have to get on my hands and knees again to look for something in the back.”
Link also wanted granite countertops because of the durability and safe surfaces that can handle hot pans and trays. Her island is unique, as it’s granite but with a black and white leather finish. With such an unusual material, it’s no wonder everyone wants to run their hands along the island when they see it!
“With polished granite, you see every spot, mark and fingerprint,” Link explains. “With my countertops, I have to turn sideways when I’m wiping them down to make sure I get everything because the design hides it so well.”
Link considers herself a very structured person, which also factored into the new design. Some might ask why she chose so much white, as many high-end kitchen renovations often go for natural wood or other materials. Link, however, knew right away she wanted a black and white scheme, as she’s often wiping frosting and powdered sugar from her cabinets and cupboards. Her light color palette means it’s not only easier to clean, but also offers a cleaner look. As she hosts many cake consultations in her home, it’s important that when guests walk in, everything appears clean.
“It’s a visual that personally appeals to me,” she says. “It’s sort of country-French inspiration as well. The aesthetic is ideal for me as a clean, classic style. It’s traditional enough to last a long time and I won’t get tired of the look.”
Link warmed up the room with wood tones, including the floors, chairs and dining room table. She also hung hand-sewn curtains with pops of color to offset the white. The white tile backsplash adds to the clean, timeless aesthetic. Link does not consider herself a trendy person, adding that she can point out items in her home she’s had for over 30 years. She does not want to constantly change things unless there’s a need, preferring to keep her space comfortable and welcoming to friends and her grandchildren.
The island, with its stunning leather granite counter and black wooden bottom, has electrical outlets on multiple sides, plus plenty of storage underneath, with six deep drawers and space for utensils and cake pans. Link, who used to store her pans downstairs and accessories in the hall closet, is thrilled about the change, as it’s another reason to stay off the stairs. While the room’s height was not raised, the builders removed a soffit, offering more height to the room in general. Opposite the island is a large pantry; the result is bigger, taller cabinets and even more storage throughout the kitchen.
The farmhouse sink with two bowls was one of Link’s splurges, a necessity as she hand-washes her cake pans and needed the appropriate space to clean and dry them. Link also opted for task lighting, which is important when doing elaborate work, rather than ambiance or under-cabinet lighting. Considerations even came down to the lightbulbs, as the new hanging lights are lower than before, making them closer to a tall cake. Because Link can’t have lightbulbs that can melt her frostings, she uses LED bulbs that don’t emit heat.
Another key piece was the stove, obviously an important appliance for any baker. With the 48-inch oven, her baking time is now cut in half, thanks essentially to having two spaces that act as a standard oven and a smaller warming oven. Her refrigerator, dishwasher and stove were all bought at Vinton Appliance.
One of the more unusual ways Link saved counter space was with her microwave. While many kitchen renovations include a built-in microwave over the stove, Link did not want the hassle and cost of repair should her microwave break. Instead, her stand-alone microwave sits behind a small cabinet door that provides easy access but is hidden away when not in use. (Her television, on the other hand, is visible at all times, but for good reason: it’s almost always on. Link catches up on her Netflix binging while she bakes at all hours of the night!)
While the original idea was to redo the kitchen, the laundry room and deck also became part of the process. Link loves her new laundry room location, as it used to be downstairs. Putting towels and other items downstairs added to the wear and tear on Link as she went up and down stairs during her baking times to keep things organized. The original renovation plans had the new laundry room at twice the size it is now. Nick Brown of Carter’s Cabinet Shop came in and cut the space down, as well as laid out the size of the island. As a family friend of Link’s, Brown was familiar with her side business and was considerate of the things she wanted for baking. The new laundry room has a large barn door with hardware at the top, which gives it a modern look as well as convenience. Having it nearby saves her time when she needs to throw sugar-covered towels in the wash.
Link did not want a formal dining area and wanted to explore having the available space for the next family that would live in the home. The result is a nice table and seating area between kitchen and deck. A small sun room (now the outside deck) used to be on the other side of the kitchen, an unused space that became storage. With their house layout (four level split, with three sets of stairs), Link or her husband used to have to go down two flights of steps and exit out the basement in order to use the grill.
“We grill a lot year-round, so the idea of having the deck right there was ideal,” Link says. “Now we can go out and have coffee in the morning or grill right beside the kitchen with easy accessibility.”
The large window to the side of the kitchen offers plenty of natural light that coordinates well with the white cabinets. Double windows were originally planned, but the architect, Dolly Dollberg of Architectural Design Services, believed the back of the house wouldn’t be balanced. She suggested the big window, which almost makes you feel as though you’re already outside. Even in the winter, the big views offer the family a way to feel isolated within the busy neighborhood. Above all, Link wanted a kitchen that was ultimately for a family.
“If we ever sell the house, it’s for a family, not a cake baker. I wanted the kitchen to look like a kitchen; I cook every night in it. When you walk in, you wouldn’t know I’m a baker because everything is hidden away,” she says. “I had a great team that knew not only what they were doing, but what was important to me. This is my home first and foremost, and I wanted it to be family-style with functionality.”
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