We love the look of rich, gleaming wood in the kitchen. When it's done well, as it is in this renovated Arts and Crafts kitchen, it feels so warm and inviting. There are a few other things about this kitchen, too, that caught us. The owner, architect John Clagett, made some unusual design choices that really seem to work.
This article at PointClickHome is really worth a read. The owners of this modest-sized kitchen (it's about 10x12) found peeling cabinet paint and ugly linoleum floors when they moved in. They struggled with the size and layout, especially given the placement of the two windows. Ultimately, they decided to put the full-size refrigerator in the basement and use a small, undercounter fridge in the kitchen itself. And not only did they downsize, but the fridge floats in the middle of the kitchen under an island cabinet!
This is a very unusual solution, but actually quite brilliant. We have thought about putting our big-box fridge in the basement of our bungalow too; we open the freezer so rarely!
We also love how in this kitchen the owners used reclaimed wood for the cabinets, and how they pulled up the linoleum and repaired the wood floors underneath. They also made creative use of an overhead light fixture, adding racks for glasses and utensils and even a paper towel holder!
Overall, we found this kitchen to be a really interesting example of a cook forming a kitchen directly to her needs. The owner says, "By now I really know how I cook, how I work in a kitchen. I didn't want it to be grand, but I did want to make sure it wouldn't stand apart from me." Isn't that what we all want from our kitchens, in the end?
• Read the full article: A Kitchen Crafted with Care at PointClickHome
• More information about the owner and architect: John Clagett
Related: An Elegant Grey Galley Kitchen Remodel
(Images: John Gould Bessler/PointClickHome)
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Lovely! The open shelving on the bottom is beautiful. But that wood isn't white oak. It's stained soft wood probably pine or Douglas Fir. And I'm not sure about the overhead storage. It looks like an afterthought compared with how well crafted the rest of the kitchen is.
Comicgeek: I agree, it really is lovely. I think just the countertops are the white oak (from the photo caption: "The counter tops are white oak stair treads that were pieced together". The cabinets are only described as "reclaimed wood".
It definitely still retains a vintage feel even though there are lots of upgrades. Love the spice solution! Nicely done overall.
Looks great and functional. Easy access to everything!
The article says the cabinets are yellow pine. Really?? Yellow pine?! They'll hold up about as good as...... well, soft yellow pine. And the stain on the cabinets just makes them look cheaper. As if yellow pine could be made to look any cheaper.
Interesting concept. Just poorly executed. Or rather, executed with poor materials.
So many things to love: The original floors & oak trim, the design of the open lower cabinets, the dropped surface for the cooktop...
...and so many things to hate: the 80's tract-house-entryway white tiles, the cheap upper cabinets, the pine construction of the lower cabinets, the restaurant sink and missing dishwasher, the fridge/freezer in the basement....
The apothecary like spice shelving and jars is the best part.
The cooking station looks great to use. I am a big fan of open storage for pots/pans and heavily used items.
The paper towel roll attached to the ceiling storage really bothers me. But that's my personal preference and I don't have to use the kitchen. I like the other uses of the storage space.
I love the artichokes on long stems displayed like a flower arrangement. I bought a similar vase at Home Goods, I'm going to try that out. I hope long stem artichokes are cheaper than tulips or at least last longer!
I love that her storage all pulls out so she can see the contents. I agree about the tile (odd choice) and the lighting fixture/gizmo rack...
Where are the spice jars from? They're beautiful, and look like what I need...