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Nicholas Potts wants to make it clear that history is never boring, at least as far as design is concerned. “There was a widespread misconception that anything related to history was 'safe' and 'appropriate,' and the colors were either bland or non-existent,” he says.
When the architect and designer recently met a young couple who had purchased a 1930s-era home in Washington, D.C., he was pleased to discover that they were thinking the same way. “This house is very much his 20th century, with everything from Tudor to Colonial Revival to Arts and Crafts elements throughout,” says Potts. The owners, who work in the technology industry and now have two children, draw attention to the history of the space with crisp details and colors that would have been considered modern when the house was first built. I tried to direct it.
This feeling is especially evident in the kitchen. While updating the floor plan to fit everyday life in 2024, Potts also referenced materials from the past to give the house a sense of antiquity. After all, when everything old is new again, nothing can be boring.
Make pasta night part of your plans
Although the house was first built during the Great Depression, the kitchen was completely renovated around 2000, and everyone agreed that the builder-grade renovation was far from ideal. “It was as if the only purpose was to expand the area, and no thought was given to how that would be done. [space] It was going to be used in real life,” Potts said.
There was no line of sight to the kitchen from the rest of the house, and for some reason it was just a step down from the back door. The floor plan was too small for an island, but it had too much furniture. Working from the outside in, Potts simplified the layout by moving a nearby powder room and adding a central hallway, leaving enough room for an island in the new, elongated kitchen. . “While it was important for my team and I to prioritize function in everything we did, the main reason for this island was that the owners requested a scratch-free surface due to their tradition of rolling out pasta. “I did,” Potts said.
Calacatta Macchia Vecchia is a gold-pink patterned marble that's perfect for accenting your pasta making station as well as the rest of your countertop or backsplash. A herringbone pattern on your wood floor provides the structure you need with the smooth-looking stone.
Use fresh colors today as you did yesterday
In the 1930s, kitchen cleanliness was a top priority for people, but that didn't mean they showed it to their guests with an all-white palette. They still embraced color. “Bright, fresh pigments were popular at the time, so we chose a color scheme that was appropriate for the era,” says Potts.
They chose Farrow & Ball's Cromartie, an “almost pure” seafoam shade that is simple in nature but can be applied in a dramatic way. How exactly? Potts filled the room with the color, using it from the ceiling to the lower cabinets. The range hood was also splashed with water. The designer paired it with an equally crisp cabinet with a hairline-thin edge frame. “This detail is typical of his 1930s style, but it looks just as cool today,” he says.
Be very strategic about storage
Potts didn't think the owners didn't have enough cabinetry in the original kitchen, it was just that the layout was all wrong. It's easier to organize when things aren't too cluttered. “If there is an opportunity to add a full wall of shelving, we would be happy to take it,” says Potts. “Over the years, my team and I have found that full-height storage is an incredible value in a small footprint.”
The extra high cupboard was the perfect addition to the dining area by the bay window. “That corner was too large when it was empty, so the full-length cabinets took advantage of that wasted space,” says Potts. Finally, the family's stand mixer and grilling tools come with a cabinet to call home.
