Four Personality-Packed Kitchens

The clients requested a walnut island resembling an antique worktable found in old English kitchens; this custom version, however, expertly conceals the kitchen’s second dishwasher to satisfy the needs of a modern family.

A new pantry is painted Farrow & Ball Brinjal, while the upper cabinets feature Banker Wire mesh panels.

The Victorian residence was built in 1875. The exterior’s sunflower details reappear indoors on the kitchen cabinetry.

The nook is outfitted with a custom banquette and chairs, a table from Dunes and Duchess, and a Soane pendant with Décors Barbares fabric.

A new bay window houses the breakfast nook.

Victorian Vision

A 1990s renovation had left this kitchen in the Boston neighborhood of Jamaica Plain looking dated, so it was time to turn back the clock even further and give it something befitting of its 1875 Victorian exterior.

“The clients are interested in historical architecture and wanted a style that’s in line with the house,” says architect J.B. Clancy of ART Architects, who worked alongside Katie Rosenfeld & Co. and Kevin Cradock Builders to realize the English-inspired kitchen. The team reworked the layout to include a moody aubergine pantry, a bleached-walnut worktable, a tiled niche for the Lacanche range, and a breakfast nook.

“A door to the garden had been blocking the view of a beautiful dogwood tree, so we replaced it with a bay window,” explains Clancy. “This bay window and the range niche that sits opposite serve as the room’s anchor points.”

The team worked together to carry out several historic-inspired details, such as the corbels that set off both the range niche and the breakfast nook. “The corbels are replicas of originals seen throughout the rest of the house,” notes Kevin Cradock. “We also installed wood corner beading, which is more traditional than plaster, and restoration-glass windows. The goal was for everything to be as authentic as possible.”

Indeed, Rosenfeld’s team designed the island to resemble the simple worktables found in old British estates, complete with turned legs and visible joinery and bolts (and a hidden dishwasher). But perhaps the sweetest addition is a sunflower motif carved into the upper cabinets that references an exterior architectural detail. “I love incorporating a playful, whimsical element like that,” says Rosenfeld. “This kitchen is fit for modern life, but everything looks as though it could be original.”

Project Team
Architecture: ART Architects
Interior design: Katie Rosenfeld & Co.
Builder: Kevin Cradock Builders
Landscape design: a Blade of Grass
Interior photography: Read McKendree/JBSA
Exterior photography: Greg Premru
Styling: Matthew Gleason

The reimagined kitchen and new coordinating bar area complement the existing glass wine storage.

The sleek new kitchen overlooks expansive city views.

The palette features a mix of dark-stained wood cabinetry, metal cabinetry, and Tropical Storm polished granite on the countertops, backsplash, and sink; the pendant lights are from Articolo Studios.

Cool and Contemporary

When a couple purchased this unit in Boston’s Millennium Tower several years ago, renovating the kitchen wasn’t a top priority. “The original kitchen was more traditional than what the clients had envisioned, but they hesitated to rip it out because it was very well done,” explains designer Carolyn Thayer, who decorated the residence when the clients first moved in. However, Thayer recently got the call that it was finally time to address the space. “The owners like to cook and entertain, but it was really the overall aesthetic that drove this renovation,” says Thayer. “They asked for a kitchen that feels updated and cool. There are two entrances to the unit, one being near the kitchen, so that space really grabs the eye upon entry.” Thayer concocted a luxurious scheme that includes an interesting mix of both dark-stained wood and metal cabinetry, glass displays, tambour detailing, and dramatic granite countertops. “Sometimes kitchens can feel like a bunch of boxes, but you don’t get that feeling here,” says the designer. “This is much more integrated.”

Project Team
Architectural design and builder: Sleeping Dog Properties
Interior design: Carolyn Thayer Interiors
Cabinetry: Herrick & White
Photography: Greg Premru

A glass-and-steel partition separates the kitchen from the living room.

Brass hardware from Needham Decorative Hardware and brass sink fittings from House of Rohl complement the cabinetry, which is painted Benjamin Moore Vintage Vogue.

A custom wicker banquette and table, both from Mulligan’s, make for a cozy breakfast nook off the living room.

Herringbone wood flooring from PID Floors and wall and crown moldings lend European flair to the living room; a brass picture-hanging rail system from Collier Webb displays vintage and antique artworks.

European Flair

When the owners of this Boston pied-à-terre purchased their unit, it was a white box with an open kitchen and living area, according to designer Nikki Dalrymple. “The clients love color and pattern as well as a sense of history,” she says. “The goal was to inject character into the home and give it a European aesthetic. “The first thing we did was add crown molding, wall molding, and herringbone flooring. And to create some delineation between the kitchen and living room, we installed a
steel-and-glass partition.” Builder-grade cabinets were swapped out for custom versions painted Benjamin Moore Vintage Vogue and finished with brass hardware that will continue to patina over time. “Other than the range, the appliances are concealed with panels,” notes Dalrymple. “The range and the partition are the focal points.” Directly on the other side of this partition, adjacent to the living area, is a breakfast corner featuring a custom wicker banquette and an art deco–inspired table. “We didn’t want it to feel too cold with all the steel and glass,” she continues. “This spot brings some color and warmth into the space.”

Project Team
Architectural and interior design: Acquire
Builder: The Holland Companies
Photography: Ari Kellerman
Styling: Karin Lidbeck-Brent

Indian Onyx polished marble countertops, a gold mirrored tile backsplash from Tilebar, and walnut accents offset the walls and cabinetry painted Benjamin Moore Essex Green.

Pendants from Hudson Valley Lighting illuminate the sleek space, which contains a custom sofa and Stellar Works barstools upholstered in a Kvadrat fabric.

The clients specifically requested a coffee bar.

The curtain fabric is from Casamance.

Green with Envy

When designer Josh Linder of Evolve Residential was presented with a parlor-level pied-à-terre in an 1850s townhouse in Boston’s South End, he chose to lean into a more contemporary kitchen that wouldn’t compete with the historic shell. “The adjacent living room was intact, but the rear had been chopped up into a few different spaces with a narrow kitchen and a loft above it,” recalls Linder. “We wanted to reestablish these two grand rooms and have each space sing on its own.” To this point, the deep green kitchen serves as a bold counterpoint to the light, airy living room. “The main focus was downplaying the sense of a traditional kitchen to allow the space to feel as open as possible,” continues Linder. “The lack of upper cabinetry helps a great deal. Instead, we were able to tuck some storage into the thickness of the walls.” Slab-front cabinetry, a functional peninsula with a waterfall edge, and a mirrored backsplash lend a contemporary flair to the space.
“We selected sleek items to contrast with the beautiful, heavy existing moldings,” says Linder.

Project Team
Architectural and interior design: Evolve
Cabinetry: Venegas and Company Residential
Photography: Sean Litchfield