Use Cool Blue to Update a Classic Kitchen

Fresh Flair

Traditional doesn't have to mean predictable. When Christopher Nicolussi and Francis Devlin bought their 1880s foursquare in Ocean Grove, New Jersey, they knew they wanted a roomier kitchen for cooking and entertaining, finished to fit their style as well as the rest of the house. Previous owners had carved out a rental unit, turning the original coal-stove kitchen with its sadly sloped floor into a makeshift knotty-pine cook space for tenants. Architect Mark Pavliv suggested siting the new kitchen there but enlarging the space by annexing an adjacent bath and opening up a back staircase that had been walled off.

Washed Blue

General contractors Eric and Kevin McNerney got busy implementing the homeowners' vision of a traditional kitchen—with a few tweaks. The McNerneys relocated the bath, leveled the floor, rearranged doorways and windows, and neatly finished cabinets with molding and fluted panels. "It was tricky getting it all to work," says Eric, referring to a counter angled to smooth traffic flow, subway tile installed diagonally in a herringbone pattern, and a heat register hidden in the toekick. Pale granite countertops and porcelain floor tile contribute to the room's welcoming look, but what really stands out are the cabinets, washed with a blue finish and warmed up with brown glaze. "We knew we could do white," says Christopher, "but I'm so glad we did something different. We love it."

Gathering Spot

The peninsula, a magnet during breakfast and cocktail hour, was made with a cabinet and coordinated posts that tie the gathering spot to the cooking space, and topped with an inexpensive counter stained to look like walnut. On the wall, a shallow cabinet, minus its door, was recessed for display space.

Integrated Appliances

Custom cabinets enclose the microwave and fridge for a neat, flush look.

Pop of Green

Blocks of unexpected color on the back staircase walls and steps enliven the area around the peninsula.

Bonus Bar

A sliver of extra storage space allows the desk-like peninsula to serve as a drinks station.

Convenient Cabinets

Pullouts flanking the range keep spices and cooking oils at hand.

 

Charming Mantel

The herringbone backsplash, mantel, and corbels give the range wall its polished look. A heat register hides in the toekick.

Kitchen Before

The dated space, part of a summer rental in a two-family Victorian-era foursquare, seemed designed less for cooking than refueling.

Floor Plan: Before

At 150 square feet, the rental unit's kitchen was short on function and style. 

Floor Plan: After

What They Did

Enlarged to 230 square feet, ringed with cabinets, countertops, and appliances, and finished with light-reflecting materials, it's a combination cook's kitchen and social hub.

1. Annexed a 56-square-foot bath and closed up its window to create the range wall.

2. Angled a counter and cabinet to improve flow around the nearby peninsula.

3. Widened the opening to the new dining room (formerly the living room).

4. Opened up a back staircase that had been closed off.

5. Built a peninsula with a cabinet, posts, and an inexpensive countertop.

6. Moved the back door and a window to maximize usable space. 

By: Deborah Baldwin, This Old House magazine