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Honoring History When Remodeling a Kitchen

Writer Marirose Krall  |  Photographer Open Home Photography  |  Designer Donna Farley

A new kitchen in an early-20th-century home respects the past while meeting the owner’s current needs.

This nearly 100-year-old Butler residence was in need of a new kitchen — the most recent update had taken place during the 1950s — and the owner had a specific look in mind. “The homeowner was adamant that she wanted to maintain the historical integrity of the home,” says designer Donna Farley, kitchen and bath designer at JMC Home Remodeling in Parsippany.

The centerpiece of the new kitchen is a light blue La Cornue range.

 

The footprint of the room remained the same, but Farley changed the layout, relocating appliance positions for expediency. “The old layout was not convenient or efficient — or pretty in any capacity,” she says.

The goal, then, was to create a beautiful space featuring modern amenities while respecting the home’s provenance. Farley began by retaining and refinishing the wood floor. White beadboard on the ceiling caps the space — creating subtle symmetry with the floorboards. The designer also used natural materials on the countertops and backsplash. The quartzite countertops feature inconspicuous striations that break up the long stretches of white cabinetry without disrupting the room’s tranquil vibe. The marble backsplash behind a light gray hutch reiterates the reserved grays and whites, and incorporates a delicate blue pattern of arcs and swirls.

The gray hutch (at right, foreground) was customized to accommodate the homeowner’s large dinner plates. For the ceiling, Farley used 16-foot-long beadboard panels to avoid visible seams.

The blue in the backsplash complements one of the focal points in the kitchen — a La Cornue range that hints at the profile of early-20th-century appliances while providing cutting-edge culinary technology. “We had a conversation about that range,” Farley says. “It was a dream of the homeowner’s and she went for it. We chose this color because it worked well with the cabinetry and with all of the materials we had already chosen.”

The cabinetry also offers a nod to the past: a long swathe of Shaker-style cabinets lines the perimeter of the room flowing toward the hutch on the refrigerator wall.

The homeowner requested display spaces and Farley obliged with several stylish and functional shelves. A niche behind the range holds spices and oils. The range hood is outfitted with a ledge, where the homeowner displays  a keepsake plate. “The plate rack on the hood is another traditional element,” the designer notes. Shelving backed by beadboard on the opposite wall offers additional space for decorative items. “The homeowner had several beloved cookbooks,” the designer says, “so we added an open cabinet to store them.”

Traditional elements include the farm sink and bridge faucet. Farley removed the doors of a cabinet (at right) to create more display space.

Other time-honored touches include a farm sink with a bridge faucet as well as a vintage light fixture that hangs above it. That chandelier brings warmth to the space, as does dark wood trim around the windows. “It’s in keeping with the client’s love of stained wood,” Farley notes.

The room as a whole is a workable modern space that reflects the home’s era, she says. “We created a traditional aesthetic using authentic materials. It’s beautiful, fresh and functional. It works for the homeowner’s young family.”