Kitchen of the Week: Traditional Room Brightens Up
New windows, a creamy palette and Oriental rugs add light and warmth to this Massachusetts kitchen
Before: The kitchen was dark and dated. The placement of the refrigerator and its relationship to the island was tight and impeded flow, especially when people were seated at the island. The clients are foodies who wanted a more functional layout for cooking. Another problem was the bulky soffit that darkened the room and made the ceilings feel lower than they were.
Must-haves:
Must-haves:
- More light. The clients had spied a large boxed-out window that design firm Heartwood Kitchens had placed in another of its projects on Houzz, and they knew a similar strategy would brighten up their dark kitchen.
- A Wolf range.
- A wood vent hood that could serve as a focal point.
Solutions: The new 10-foot-long series of boxed-out casement windows lets in loads of light. Boxing it out left room for a little herb garden between the windows and faucet. “This house sits on several beautiful acres on top of a hill,” designer Nancy Hanson says. “Before, they could not enjoy the view, but now they can.”
The designers removed the oppressive soffit, using that space to install tall upper cabinets and crown molding with more architecturally appropriate proportions. They also moved the refrigerator across the room, which fit it into a work triangle appropriately sized for two cooks. They also added an appliance garage to the left of the sink.
Windows: Anderson; cabinetry: Mouser Cabinetry; pendant lights: Playa, Rockingham Electric; faucet: Brizo
The designers removed the oppressive soffit, using that space to install tall upper cabinets and crown molding with more architecturally appropriate proportions. They also moved the refrigerator across the room, which fit it into a work triangle appropriately sized for two cooks. They also added an appliance garage to the left of the sink.
Windows: Anderson; cabinetry: Mouser Cabinetry; pendant lights: Playa, Rockingham Electric; faucet: Brizo
Island: Moving the refrigerator was the one major change to the layout, and it allowed the designers to create an island deeper than the existing one. (It’s 10 by 4 feet.) Now the couple can move around more freely in here. The island is outfitted with lots of large drawers for plates and utensils. Its cherry wood provides a nice contrast to the lighter cabinets, and details like the oil-rubbed bronze hardware and fluted columns lend traditional style.
Countertops: They’re Taj Mahal quartzite, a very hard natural stone.
Rugs: “Using Oriental rugs was a finishing touch that adds so much warmth,” Hanson says. “And they are so durable and don’t show any stains.”
Rugs: First Rugs; find more Oriental rugs
Countertops: They’re Taj Mahal quartzite, a very hard natural stone.
Rugs: “Using Oriental rugs was a finishing touch that adds so much warmth,” Hanson says. “And they are so durable and don’t show any stains.”
Rugs: First Rugs; find more Oriental rugs
Pantry hall: You can see this area in the back left portion of the first “before” photo. It was monolithic and made the little hallway, which leads to a powder room and study, feel cramped. “We gave the lower cabinets nice deep bases, but the upper cabinets sit back a bit atop the counter,” Hanson says.
Backsplash: It’s composed of glass subway tiles imported from Italy.
Glass tiles: True Beige, Tony’s Imported Tile
Backsplash: It’s composed of glass subway tiles imported from Italy.
Glass tiles: True Beige, Tony’s Imported Tile
The cabinet setback extends the elegance of the Taj Mahal quartzite down the hallway and provides a little more elbow room. “It’s architecturally nicer and easier to access what’s inside,” Hanson says.
Cabinets: Many of the cabinets are outfitted with special dividers, like this one for baking supplies.
The cabinet style is traditional, with flat panel doors with beading. The smaller drawers are plain and simple slab fronts, which freshen up the kitchen’s overall look. The clients wanted something more traditional and warmer than white, so they used a warm white paint with a brown glaze for the finish.
Find bakeware products
The cabinet style is traditional, with flat panel doors with beading. The smaller drawers are plain and simple slab fronts, which freshen up the kitchen’s overall look. The clients wanted something more traditional and warmer than white, so they used a warm white paint with a brown glaze for the finish.
Find bakeware products
China cabinet: The homeowners had seen another Heartwood photo on Houzz that inspired them. Previously, a small table and chairs sat in this spot just beyond French doors that open to the patio. The new china cabinet serves the kitchen, deck and family room. The couple store china and barbecue supplies in here and can set it up for serving food and drinks.
Refrigerator surround: In the background you can also see the cabinets that create a thick refrigerator surround. This prevents the large appliance’s proportions from dominating the room. The designers placed the cabinet doors around the corner to make the most of the depth.
Refrigerator-freezer: Sub-Zero
Contractor: Gomes Brothers
More: See other Kitchens of the Week
Refrigerator surround: In the background you can also see the cabinets that create a thick refrigerator surround. This prevents the large appliance’s proportions from dominating the room. The designers placed the cabinet doors around the corner to make the most of the depth.
Refrigerator-freezer: Sub-Zero
Contractor: Gomes Brothers
More: See other Kitchens of the Week
Kitchen at a Glance
Who lives here: A couple of empty nesters who love to cook
Location: Boxford, Massachusetts
Size: 360 square feet (33.4 square meters)
Designers: Nancy Hanson and Sherry Croft of Heartwood Kitchens
The backstory: Two empty nesters who love cooking together wanted the kitchen in their 1990s Colonial-style home to be brighter and more functional.
Wall color: Gray Cashmere, Benjamin Moore