As the owner of a custom design-build company, my goal is simple – I want you to love everything about your home. The way it looks, the way it feels, the way it works for your lifestyle and meets the changing needs of your family.
The owners of this late 1800’s shingle-style Victorian home knew they needed a kitchen remodel when they moved in. The large home in a prominent Boston suburb deserved a more functional and spacious kitchen. The clients wanted more space that would double as a place for the family to spend time doing other activities besides cooking and eating. They had lived in Europe and wanted it to reflect some of the timeless gentle beauty that some of their previous homes had evoked. The north-facing side of the home was dark but the husband tenaciously wanted to capture some direct sunlight and imagined himself sitting reading cozily in a chair in its warmth. The great room concept that resulted transformed not only the home’s kitchen but has made the whole house function better and feel much more comfortable.
The kitchen proper is laid out along five sides of a large bay and had a mid-sized island with a mahogany butcher block island and two social seats at it. Three artsy pendant lights hanging over the island form a frame within the skylight opening above. The cabinetry is painted with a light glazing treatment. The countertops are green/rose granite and are intended to visually blend with the framed view of the yard through the windows in front of the sink. The backsplash is assembled of tumbled marble. Appliances are covered with matching panels to allow them to become part of the inviting look from the living spaces that are part of the overall great room concept.
The room has many different areas for different activities from cooking to reading to socializing. The effect is one of a large inviting space in which family and friends can hang out. The detailing is less formal than the rest of the house yet still in the context of a formal Victorian home.