Kitchen Design: An Interview with Melanie Stack
Thoughtful kitchen design lies in the details—how materials, layout, and light come together to enhance daily living. To uncover what makes a kitchen both functional and inspiring, we sat down with Melanie Stack, Design Director at Pembrooke & Ives.
With over a decade at the firm, Melanie has developed a refined approach to creating kitchens that balance beauty, efficiency, and craftsmanship. Drawing inspiration from her travels to Italy and Portugal, she integrates natural stone, bespoke hardware, and tailored detailing to shape spaces that feel both timeless and deeply personal. In this interview, she shares her insights on kitchen planning, material selection, and the art of designing spaces that bring people together.
How do you approach designing the layout and flow of the kitchen?
When I design a kitchen layout, I begin with a hand sketch, always ensuring space for millwork and panel-ready appliances at the perimeter, and a healthy clearance between the perimeter cabinetry and the island. I look for the kitchen’s natural focal point based on the home’s floor plan. It might be an expansive view outside that the island or dining table can mirror in length, or a direct sightline to a centered island, sink, or range and cooktop, with an artisanal backsplash and a custom hood design. Spatial planning, appliance layout, and custom user programming are the backbone of a great kitchen.
How does a client’s lifestyle affect the design of their kitchen?
A client’s lifestyle-whether they love to bake, cook, or entertain-has a major influence on the design of their kitchen. When I first meet with a client to discuss their kitchen design, we review how they use their kitchen. Are they avid cooks? Do they entertain often? Would they prefer a concealed chef’s kitchen or scullery, and what appliances are on their “must-have” versus “nice-to-have” list?
All of these insights inform our kitchen design, ensuring we prioritize flexibility, maximize functionality, and provide generous storage. These early conversations allow us to build a footprint for their kitchen and a vision, whether it’s for a family of devoted cooks with multiple ovens and a gourmet range, or a striking island to anchor the space for frequent entertainers and hosts.
How do you approach lighting in a kitchen?
Curated lighting and thoughtful fixture placement can dramatically influence a kitchen, both functionally and aesthetically. For clients who love to host, we layer lighting with a mix of fixtures with adjustable programming to create a warm ambiance for parties while still illuminating countertops and workspaces. For families with young children, we tend to include an abundance of light to accommodate school baking experiments and family dinners.
How do you approach a chef’s kitchen or pantry?
I love it when a project presents the opportunity for a chef’s kitchen. It often means we can bring some of the appliances from the Main Kitchen into the Chef’s Kitchen, creating a cleaner, more streamlined exposed Main Kitchen. The Chef’s Kitchen is a great space where we can flex our storage and programming muscles for kitchen design to maximize efficiency.
How do you ensure longevity in kitchen design?
Kitchens are one of the most used spaces in our homes, so ensuring they can stand the test of time in both style and function is important. We select materials and finishes specifically for their longevity. We specify certain materials and finishes for their longevity. For instance, natural quartzite makes for a very hard and durable countertop. However, if a client loves marble, which is more porous and susceptible to staining, we recommend having the countertops professionally cleaned and re-sealed regularly to ensure they last and look beautiful.
Are you seeing any emerging or fading design trends lately?
Kitchen design is relatively universal, but the materials and applied finishes are what make each space feel truly custom. A trend that I see fading is open shelving. Most of our clients prefer concealed storage for a cleaner, more organized look. To strike a balance, we often introduce dedicated moments for display, such as upper cabinets with decorative glass or metal mesh panels, allowing a curated selection of pieces to shine.
Two-tone millwork is a trend that is very successful in kitchen design. Balancing a natural wood with a high-gloss or satin lacquer can create warmth and bring brightness to the space.
What are your most common appliance requests?
Appliance and kitchen fixture shopping is a fun task while designing a kitchen with clients. We can explore the appliance type offerings and functionality differences across many brands, while also considering each brand’s style and appearance. Brands we often use are SubZero, Wolf, Viking, Gaggenau, Miele, and Bosch to name a few. Many clients request full custom panel covers on their appliances (refrigeration, freezers and dishwashers) to have a more integrated kitchen.
How do you integrate the more functional kitchen elements in a thoughtful way?
Often when designing and laying out kitchens, we like to identify a focal point, often that becomes the range, cooktop and hood. There are a variety of ways we can design a hood so it functions properly, but also serves as a design feature. It can be clad in stone, wrapped in metal with custom detailing bands & rivets, or even powder-coated in a bold color to coordinate with a tiled backsplash.
What advice can you offer someone beginning a kitchen renovation?
If you are embarking on the path for a kitchen renovation, I would urge you to really think about how you use your kitchen and what are the non-negotiables in terms of appliances and storage needs. From there, gather some images of kitchens you are drawn to and find the commonalities amongst them. Often the images will have recurring details and that will reveal your personal style and preference to enhance your kitchen design.
My last piece of advice would be to have patience and be sure to pick the finishes, appliances and materials you truly love. The kitchen is often the heart of the home and everyone deserves their dream kitchen.