The house is a classic Tudor with understated interior details. The kitchen was a narrow, secluded and fairly cramped room, relegated to the corner of the house. Its size was not in proportion to the generous scale of the other rooms in the home. The family of 6 was stepping over each other, crowding around a table shoved into a corner. Something had to give.
A growing number of adventurous homeowners are willing to do the previously unthinkable: remove the wall separating the kitchen from the dining room. For some people this is just too much tampering with tradition; for others it is a ticket to an open, inviting kitchen within the exiting footprint of the home. Charlie and Mary Rose were on board with this idea from the outset.
I was able to re-imagine the space entirely. I designed a walk-in pantry for uber storage. Then I combined classic cabinetry finishes of painted white (always “in”) a historic green for the island and a rich stained walnut. We used 3 different countertop materials in 3 different thicknesses. Several different types of hardware, a collection of irresistible light fixtures.
When I think about what I like best about this space, there are a few little things in particular, but I just love the way it feels. There is light streaming in from every angle – it bounces off the countertops flanking the range because the window sills are one with the countertops. It floods in the east facing french doors in the morning, and brightens the room in the afternoon through the west facing windows. I like it because its crisp, clean, but has a certain elegant heft to it that makes a woman feel pretty and a guy feel strong.
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