arts and crafts

This is a kitchen renovation in a charming, 1930's red brick town house. The main floor living space had previously been refurbished with the use of clean lines and simple finishes to act as a background for rich wood furniture pieces and heavily textured carpets and sofas. Dramatic tall ceilings are detailed with heavy coved moldings and the prominent central staircase has the simplicity and elegance of a Frank Lloyd Wright interior.

Maintaining this "Arts and Crafts" styling was a priority with the homeowners along with the request that it not look like a galley kitchen. Functionally, they asked that it accommodate two cooks and a table area for four.

The original concept of pulling a table height peninsula away from the window was suggested for three reasons: it allowed a low window to spread light throughout the space; it distracted from the galley look and it could be used as a secondary work space for the petite lady of the house.

Once this basic design was determined, the clients worked closely with the designer to detail the placement of the slide-in, commercial-type range, two separate sinks and fully integrated Sub-zero fridge and dishwasher.

The door style chosen was a wide framed, rich cherry wood with internal detail. The cabinets hung at 8 feet with soffit and simple heavy moldings to the ceiling. Mullion glass doors in the "Stickly" style complete with leaded inserts were positioned on each wall and the drama was augmented with wood interiors, glass shelves and internal lighting. The table support was custom ribbed and handles of square wood were chosen to complement the design. The fridge handle was a detailed antiqued copper to carry the weight of the door and add even more variety to this breathtaking kitchen interior.

Countertops of Prairie green granite add a deep contrast to the cabinets and angled tile work on both the backsplash and the floor widen the space and add a soft touch of colour.