An interior designer, with whom I had successfully collaborated before, approached me about this 140-year-old brick whole farmhouse renovation which included a small outdated kitchen. The entire project was formidable in scope as it included all rooms of the house. Additionally, the homeowner wanted the new space to be comfortable for family and friend reunions in the summer, so its restoration was emotional for her. She loved to entertain and her small outdated kitchen had major problems with food storage/prep, traffic flow, and space for her large family and friend gatherings.
The biggest challenge was moving the project forward as fast as possible due to the client’s wishes—as she was discerning, very busy and lived overseas, so communication on a daily basis was challenging. The interior designer was able to do conceptual drawings, but it was up to me to figure out the specific details for production and field installation, while keeping the client updated on all minute design cabinetry details.
One of the most important elements in her kitchen was what we refer to as a “larder pantry.” This pantry piece was custom-made. Note the inscriptions above on the drawer fronts above — “bread” and “goodies” inscribed only for her!
All of us worked very hard—and thanks to my peers, the final project outcome produced what I believe to be one the most elegant and refined kitchens I have ever designed.
The elements that create the final look include Parisian-inset painted and antiqued Lyptus cabinetry with appliance panels, Ovolo corners, furniture feet and mouldings, decorative hardware created an “old world” look.
Sub-Zero refrigerator and freezer are housed in a cabinet reminiscent of a furniture heirloom piece with antique mirror inserts reflecting light. Wall cabinets, lit with LED strips, sit directly on countertops maximizing storage. A back-lit blue agate slab uniquely accents the blue 60” Ilve range.
Half of the larger island fulfills all food prep needs. The other half is 30 1/2” in height for pastry prep; immediately behind it stands a custom English pantry larder with custom inscribed drawers offering a personal touch.
5cm honed Calacatta Gold countertops and a reclaimed wood floor contributes to an older world feel.
The second island–adjacent to the morning room –is movable and offer lots of seating for social gatherings.
What Did This Kitchen Remodeling Project Cost?
Here’s the cost breakdown for this kitchen remodeling project:
Kitchen Design and Cabinetry: $68,339
Extension of kitchen (including re-framing the floor and truing the walls): $29,000
Steel beams: $6,000
Engineer: $5,000
Designers: $8,000
Electrical: $12,000
Plumbing: $5,600
Windows: $1,800
Flooring: $8,500
Ceiling: $1,200
Trim: $3,000
Paint: $2,000
Countertops: $10,000
Wood tops: $3,400
Lighting: $6,800
Faucets: $5,000
Farm sink: $2,000
Stone at stove: $6,000
Glass tile: $2,000
Mirror on refrigerator: $2,000
Appliances: $46,500
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Total: $234,139
