Something for Everyone
Janice Randall Rohlf
Editor
Who doesn’t love a nice kitchen? I enjoy cooking, but even if I didn’t, the kitchen would be the first room I’d want to check out every time I was in a new house. Kitchens these days are about much more than whipping up a meal — they’re places to hang out, entertain and work from home. To accommodate all these activities and more, the kitchen has grown exponentially over recent years, in both size and sophistication. The same can be said of bathrooms, which, at the high end of the spectrum, resemble luxurious spas.
Perhaps more than any other rooms in the house, kitchens and bathrooms require lots of decisions when it comes to making them both appealing to look at and functional. Selecting a variety of materials and finishes can quickly become overwhelming. For the Kitchen & Bath Showcase (page 63), we tried to select kitchens and bathrooms that are different enough from each other so that you, our readers, have a variety of palettes, finishes and materials to admire and contemplate. This is just a start — the best suggestion I can make if you’re easily flummoxed is to consult a professional designer.
That’s what Debbie Croatti did when she and husband Mike were ready to tackle the interiors in their new house in Windham (page 80). Even though she has impeccable taste and had a very good idea of how she wanted her house to look, Debbie reached out to James Hall, a designer she had collaborated with successfully before. I met the Croattis and Hall during our photo shoot of their lovely home. After a few hours conversing with them, it was easy to see how each one’s contribution to the project resulted in a beautifully designed home they are all proud of.
Whereas the Croatti’s home in Windham was inspired by a French chateau, our second feature home, in Bethlehem, is a timber-frame mountain retreat for a family that loves to run, hike and ski (page 90). Architect Chris Salomon, who won this magazine’s 2024 Up and Coming Talent award, designed the home, keeping in mind that “they envisioned it feeling comfortable and welcoming when you come in from the outdoors,” he says.
I’d like to end with a tribute to architect Chris Williams, who sadly passed away much too soon in June. I never had the pleasure of meeting Williams, but I’ve spoken to people who knew him and they are unanimous in praising his talent, creativity and genial nature. In an upcoming issue, we will feature a retrospective of some of his houses that have appeared in New Hampshire Home over the years.
