Stickybeak of the Week: A Tiny New York Kitchen Grows Up
This cramped and dated kitchen in Manhattan, USA, was opened up with savvy styling tricks and brought into the 21st century
Big-city dwellers are used to living in small spaces. But they also know a few tricks for making things feel a little more spacious. Faced with a stifling muddy-toned kitchen with a low ceiling and a window that had been painted over so many times it wouldn’t open, German couple Daniel and Claudia Mahler exercised some clever moves to make their space more open. Working with designer Cecilia Dupire, they reconfigured the layout, raised the ceiling slightly, added a smaller refrigerator and used lots of white paint for a bright and airy atmosphere.
AFTER: Designer Cecilia Dupire of Cezign raised the ceiling about 30 centimetres and stripped away moulding to gain as much extra space as possible. She also got rid of the large, bulky refrigerator. “We decided to rethink appliances and really figure out how much they actually use,” Dupire says.
She replaced it with a smaller concealed fridge with two freezer drawers on the opposite wall. The reconfiguration allowed room for one of the key additions to the kitchen: a custom-made dining table designed by Dupire, with a red oak veneer that complements the existing red oak floor. Antique chairs from the late 19th century were found online. “I wanted to add a sculptural contrast to the otherwise sharp lines,” Dupire says. “They also introduce a sense of time to the space.”
Above the table hang coloured magnetic glass panels created by a small company in Germany, which act as a piece of art but also give the family a place to post photos or messages.
Soft white paint on the ceiling, walls and upper cabinets maximises the feeling of space. A pale green paint covers the lower cabinets.
‘All White’ paint on walls, ceiling and upper cabinets, and ‘Mizzle’ paint on lower cabinets: Farrow & Ball
She replaced it with a smaller concealed fridge with two freezer drawers on the opposite wall. The reconfiguration allowed room for one of the key additions to the kitchen: a custom-made dining table designed by Dupire, with a red oak veneer that complements the existing red oak floor. Antique chairs from the late 19th century were found online. “I wanted to add a sculptural contrast to the otherwise sharp lines,” Dupire says. “They also introduce a sense of time to the space.”
Above the table hang coloured magnetic glass panels created by a small company in Germany, which act as a piece of art but also give the family a place to post photos or messages.
Soft white paint on the ceiling, walls and upper cabinets maximises the feeling of space. A pale green paint covers the lower cabinets.
‘All White’ paint on walls, ceiling and upper cabinets, and ‘Mizzle’ paint on lower cabinets: Farrow & Ball
The re-stained red oak floor with a mahogany inlay adds character and warmth.
The new ‘Glacier White’ Corian benchtops and splashbacks blend for a peaceful, continuous look and also make a great backdrop for flowers.
The polished flat-panel white oak cabinets create a sleek look. A series of 7.6-centimetre square recessed lights with trim provide general illumination, while under-cabinet lights offer task lighting over the work areas.
Cabinet hardware hinges: Blum; cabinet pull on concealed dishwasher: Omnia; recessed lights: WAC Lighting
The new ‘Glacier White’ Corian benchtops and splashbacks blend for a peaceful, continuous look and also make a great backdrop for flowers.
The polished flat-panel white oak cabinets create a sleek look. A series of 7.6-centimetre square recessed lights with trim provide general illumination, while under-cabinet lights offer task lighting over the work areas.
Cabinet hardware hinges: Blum; cabinet pull on concealed dishwasher: Omnia; recessed lights: WAC Lighting
A new single-pane window has replaced the inoperable one, and sits flush to the benchtop. Its sill expands the bench space just a bit.
The new single-basin undermount stainless steel sink is smaller than the sink the family had before, but big enough to accommodate pots and pans and deep enough to hide a stack of dirty dishes.
A lower cabinet conceals a dishwasher to the right of the sink.
Sink: Blanco; concealed dishwasher: Bosch
The new single-basin undermount stainless steel sink is smaller than the sink the family had before, but big enough to accommodate pots and pans and deep enough to hide a stack of dirty dishes.
A lower cabinet conceals a dishwasher to the right of the sink.
Sink: Blanco; concealed dishwasher: Bosch
The new induction stovetop has a recirculating downdraft vent hood hidden in the bench that rises with the push of a button. “I really like it, and my husband and two boys love the downdraft,” Claudia says. “They feel like we have a Star Wars kitchen.”
The stovetop and downdraft vent hood allowed the designer to incorporate as much storage as possible.
Stovetop and downdraft vent: Bosch
The stovetop and downdraft vent hood allowed the designer to incorporate as much storage as possible.
Stovetop and downdraft vent: Bosch
Deep drawers provide user-friendly storage for everyday dishes and pots and pans around the cooking area.
A combination microwave and speed oven sits in the new pantry wall that once was occupied by a small breakfast table. The small, compact appliance made sense for the busy city family. “It’s big enough to roast a chicken or cook two or three trays of appetisers for a cocktail party,” Dupire says.
Microwave-speed oven combination: Miele
Microwave-speed oven combination: Miele
This photo shows the roomy cabinet under the oven, with roll-outs for storage of bottled water, tea and other beverages.
A pullout two-sided pantry holds cereal, condiments, pasta and rice.
This photo shows the bedroom hallway off the new kitchen. “When you come in from the cramped, busy streets of the city, you have something that is light and feels light,” Claudia says.
TELL US
What do you think of this kitchen update? Share your thoughts in the Comments below.
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TELL US
What do you think of this kitchen update? Share your thoughts in the Comments below.
MORE
Stickybeak of the Week: Ocean View Inspires Coastal-Modern Kitchen
How to Design a Galley Kitchen That Works
Push it Up: Ways to Visually Lift a Low Ceiling
Kitchen at a Glance
Who lives here: Daniel and Claudia Mahler, their sons, Vincent and Victor, and their chocolate Lab, Millie
Location: New York, USA
Size: About 10.2 square metres
BEFORE: Like many city kitchens, the previous galley was long and lean, with a low ceiling and a small dining table at the end (opposite this view) that felt isolated. The mostly beige space, busy and muddy-toned stone benchtops and bulky refrigerator added to the cramped feel. And the window was so old and had been painted over so many times, the Mahlers couldn’t open it.