Hardworking Kitchens

History in the Making

Interior designer Ana Bonilla and kitchen designer Donna Venegas collaborated on this Brookline kitchen, transforming what was historically a working kitchen for support staff into a custom kitchen that reflects the rest of the highly detailed 1905 Tudor Revival residence.

The varied materials palette—which was inspired by a classic men’s suit—incorporates mahogany, burlwood, and painted charcoal cabinetry with brass and marble accents. The lighting is from Visual Comfort.

Opposite the wall with the range is a coffee bar complete with a sink, microwave, and storage for snacks.

“The coffee bar is just as important as the cooking area,” says Venegas. “We even measured the particular coffee the client buys so it’s all laid out in the drawer.”

The new archways in the kitchen match the historic architecture.

As with many houses of its era, this 1905 Tudor Revival residence in a Brookline, Massachusetts, historic district was originally outfitted with a simple kitchen meant for staff use. The current owner tapped interior designer Ana Bonilla and kitchen designer Donna Venegas to “bring it up to par with the well-preserved front of the house, which features lovely plaster details, carvings, and marble features,” explains Bonilla. The duo gutted the sterile white space and reduced the points of entry from six to four, thereby increasing available wall space and maximizing storage. And they added plenty of modern-day creature comforts, from heated flooring and two sinks to a coffee bar with refrigerated drawers. In addition to a new coffered ceiling adorned with gold-painted plaster moldings that match original moldings elsewhere in the home, brass accents and a mix of mahogany, burlwood, and painted charcoal cabinetry deliver on the client’s request for deep, dark tones. “While selecting the materials palette,” notes Venegas, “we were inspired by the idea of a handsome charcoal suit.”

Project Team 
Interior design: AnaVera Design
Kitchen design: AnaVera Design, Venegas and Company
Builder: Pat Torcasio Contractors
Photography: Sean Litchfield

The Entertainer

Lighting is a critical component in any kitchen, and designer Meg McSherry chose a mix of classic pendants, aged-brass sconces, and art lights, all from Ann-Morris. “We wanted to warm up the kitchen with different finishes,” says McSherry. “When just the sconces are on at night, they create such a soft feel. It changes the mood entirely.”

The kitchen contains two islands: one features stained white oak and soapstone and is built for entertaining, with beverage fridges, an ice maker, a bar, and plenty of countertop space for serving food and drinks.

The other, a working island, has prep space, a sink, and barstools for casual dining.

The pantry supports the main kitchen during a party but also functions for everyday use—especially for the clients’ children, who can easily grab their own snacks and dishware.

“When a kitchen is so visible from the rest of the house, it’s nice to have another space where food can be prepped and dishes can be stacked,” says architect Christopher Hall.

Keeping a clean kitchen is a feat for a busy young family, but it’s much easier in this Weston, Massachusetts, new build thanks to a back kitchen that works in tandem with the main space. Architect Christopher Hall and interior designer Meg McSherry collaborated on the rooms, focusing on a floor plan with both everyday living and frequent entertaining in mind. Two islands anchor the main kitchen: a marble-topped white one with a sink and dishwasher is for prep work and dining, and the oak-and-soapstone one is outfitted with an ice machine, beverage refrigerators, and a locked cabinet for alcohol. Meanwhile, a custom stained-oak hutch “feels like a vintage piece,” says McSherry. The idea behind the mix of materials, according to Hall, comes from historic kitchens comprising “pieces of furniture, each serving a specific function. We didn’t want the space to feel homogenous, so this collection of elements lends a feeling of warmth and comfort that’s conducive to informal entertaining.” When there’s a crowd, the back kitchen allows for party prep and cleanup, but it’s also primed for daily use, thanks to a coffee station as well as dishware, snacks, and drinks that are accessible to the kids.

Project Team
Architecture: Christopher Hall Architects
Interior design: Meg McSherry Interiors
Builder: Wellen Construction
Cabinetry: Fine Finish Inc.
Photography: Joyelle West

Black Beauty 

The starting point for the kitchen was Kelly Wearstler’s Liaison Hillcrest floor tile for Ann Sacks, customized with Arabescato, Nero Marquina, Silver Ebru, Verde, and Grigio Carnico accent tiles.

Interior designer Anne Rubin worked with kitchen designer Melinda Guglietta of Bespoke of Winchester on the layout and organization of the long, narrow space.

The clients requested a coffee bar.

he kitchen opens to the family room, which has a similar palette and includes cabinetry with the same metal mesh doors that appear in the kitchen.

The owners of this Newton, Massachusetts, residence had a distinct vision for their kitchen that included high-gloss black cabinetry and a geometric tile floor by Kelly Wearstler for Ann Sacks. “The wife and I both admire Kelly’s work, so we built the kitchen around this floor,” explains interior designer Anne Rubin. The long, narrow space features an eleven-and-a-half-foot island perfect for entertaining and brass accents such as metal mesh cabinet fronts, hardware, and a range hood that was handcrafted in Maine. “The clients asked for drama,” says Rubin. “The brass jumps off the black and adds a layer of sparkle.” Rubin worked with kitchen designer Melinda Guglietta at Bespoke of Winchester to maximize the kitchen’s function, incorporating refrigerated drawers near the sink, a coffee station, a drinks cabinet, and pullouts for spices, oils, and cooking trays near the range. “The layout was a little tricky,” says Guglietta, “so our goal was to maintain the cooking triangle and limit the number of steps one needs to take.”

Project Team 
Interior design: Annika Designs
Kitchen design: Bespoke of Winchester
Builder: The Sintra Group
Photography: Jessica Delaney

Pantry Proud 

This New Hampshire pantry was inspired by the all-wood pantries common in New England during the early 1900s.

To make the oak pantry appear much older than it is, Modern Heritage incorporated turned details, beadboard paneling, and leaded-glass panels.

The wooden pantries common in early-twentieth-century New England inspired this New Hampshire butler’s pantry. “The clients actually saw my 1912 house with an original Vermont icebox in the kitchen and decided that’s what they wanted,” says architect Aimee Bentley. She tapped Modern Heritage, who worked on her own kitchen, to construct the millwork and cabinetry for this home. The pantry—which supports both the main kitchen and the outdoor kitchen—includes an icebox-style refrigerator, a dishwasher, a sink, a coffee maker, and tons of storage. White-oak cabinetry with leaded-glass panels, beadboard, Carrara marble countertops, a tin ceiling, and stenciled-wood floors drive home the Old World feel. “The challenge,” says Modern Heritage principal Ian Mentasti, “was making the refrigerator look like an icebox you would find in a Vermont country store, complete with strap hinges. We also added some turned details to the cabinets to make the space feel older.”

Project Team 
Architecture: ASB Architecture
Builder: Beckwith Builders
Cabinetry: Modern Heritage
Photography: Jared Kuzia
Stylist: Sarah Sumner