EXISTING KITCHEN: Built in 1916, this colonial-style home located in the Meridian Kessler district featured a kitchen with many historical design elements including a maid’s quarters, butler’s pantry and a small kitchen. “Our house has been in the family for three generations. The last renovation to the kitchen had been done in 1950. Needless to say, the cabinets were in bad shape and the layout of the kitchen no longer functioned well for family life in today’s world. We wanted to modernize the kitchen with clean lines and a gray color pallet and also preserve the historical look to be consistent with the rest of our home.”
OPEN-CONCEPT: To give the homeowners an open-concept kitchen, the walls separating the kitchen, butler’s pantry and maid’s quarters were removed to create one large open space. A new beam was installed in the ceiling to support the second floor. Two double hung windows with colonial lites replaced the existing doors and helps fill the room with natural light.
KITCHEN CABINETS & COUNTERTOPS: The shaker style of the gray perimeter cabinets is clean lined, while the traditional hardware adds to the historic look. At the heart of the kitchen, the large island features maple cabinetry in an “Arctic White” finish topped with a leathered black pearl granite countertop. In addition, the island features plenty of seating space which allows the homeowners to mingle with guests while cooking for large parties.
CLASSIC FINISHES: The backsplash features traditional 3 x 6 “Ice White” subway tile with a contrasting gray colored grout. A Kohler apron front sink was chosen for its classic look and ability to easily wash large pots and pans. “The flooring was one of the most important details considered during the design phase. The rest of the first floor is all original wide plank peg and groove hardwood and we wanted to continue that look into the kitchen.” Engineered wood flooring in a “Cumin” color blends perfectly with the existing hardwood floors and is also a much more cost effective option vs. installing custom peg and groove hardwood.
FINAL RESULT: “What we love most about the kitchen is the openness and the overall look. We love to cook and entertain. We can now do both of those things at the same time because of the open layout and extra seating space at the island.”
