The “kitchen rock star” enters the DDB

The kitchen rock star, aka Christopher Peacock, is set to open a new showroom in the DDB, making it the company’s first in New York City.

We had a chance to chat with Lane Brooks, Creative Director and VP of Communications for Christopher Peacock, who told us how thrilled they are about the new venture.

“I can tell you we’ve always wanted to open a New York showroom,” said Lane. “It’s part of our global strategy, and in addition to pulling from the metro area, we are confident that this new showroom will also attract an international clientele.”



Christopher Peacock specializes in fitted furniture, interior paint products and spectacular hardware. Their work has included many of the world’s most luxurious private estates across the globe

You can find showrooms in Greenwich, Chicago, Boston, San Francisco and now our very own DDB. Christopher Peacock has been manufactured exclusively in the United States for 20 years.

“This is going to be our flagship showroom,” said Lane. ”We personally believe there’s not going to be anything else like this showroom in New York.”

The showroom is under construction but will be open by November on the 5th Floor of the Annex Building, 222. For more information on Christopher Peacock, visit the website.

Every day this week we’ll be spotlighting a new DDB showroom; check back tomorrow to learn about PID Floors!

Tips from the pro: Christopher Peacock

Last week we met Christopher Peacock who will be opening his showroom at the DDB, and celebrating his company's 20th anniversary, this fall. We used our persuasive powers to pry some design tips from the kitchen and cabinetry guru, even for those who are still only aspiring to a Christopher Peacock kitchen. Here's what he had to say:

-"I hate kitchen design. I also love it, of course! Everyone, no matter how much money is in the bank, has to prepare food and that usually involves a kitchen. The way we think of ourselves, the way we compose ourselves, sustain ourselves, our movement in kitchens is very important to me.

-"I recommend allowing 21" to 24" for kitchen stools at an island. We find that Remains Lighting has the best and most interesting over-the-counter island lighting. We're actually collaborating on a collection with Remains that should be available soon.

-There's still a tremendous focus on islands. I typically suggest an island 5 feet wide by 8 feet long. You don't want it to look like an air craft carrier, and you don't want to have to walk around it to clean up and wipe it down. You want to be able to reach across it effortlessly.

-Renovation is happening much more than starting-from-scratch these days. I get asked a lot about where to cut costs. "Value engineering" is something I hear a lot. The biggest mistake is to try to save by cutting out the specialist advice and using a woodshop to copy a product. You always tend to get what you pay for, and it shows in the final look. If there are sensible areas to save money, I think it should be on flooring and backsplash tile, and ancillary items such as special wall finishes and fabric. I am amazed by how people tend to spend too little on cabinetry and hardware and then how much they'll spend on a wall finish, or a decorative item that won't last and stand the test of time. Tastes change, and the room's decoration becomes replaceable, long before the fixed items such as cabinetry and countertops need to go."

A chat with Christopher Peacock

We wanted to get to know Christopher Peacock before he opens this showroom at the DDB this fall. Christopher Peacock, a name now synonymous with luxury kitchens, launched his business with a cabinetry display in a Greenwich, CT interior design boutique back in 1992. Suffice to say, the rest is history, all 20 years of it.



His quest for sophisticated finishes, insistence on excellent service and top quality, together with his insatiable curiosity and constant quest for innovation have made him a favorite of designers and their clients. The fact that everything is made exclusively in his American workshop means that he's able to quality-control and customize in a way others can't. To commemorate his 20th anniversary, Peacock is introducing Culinarium (pictured throughout), a nod to the palette, style and culture of the romantic countryside of Denmark, Flanders and the Netherlands.



We asked him what makes this design a bit of a departure, and he says, “Culinarium, with its blend of painted cabinetry and hand-selected white quarter sawn oak, takes on a more traditional feel as I’ve chosen to use cladding on the end panels in the room and I’ve made the door styles and rails wider. There is a chunkiness to the entire Collection, including the rounded hutch. What’s always thrilling for me is the hardware. I’m introducing polished copper hardware for the first showing. It joins the extraordinary hardware I’ve created for all of our Collections. The rounded pulls and chic knobs are truly elegant, stunning and are destined to become iconic, and, I believe, fated to become the fashion.”



Check back soon later this week when we'll share some of Peacock's tips for designing the best kitchen.