Register this in New York City Apartment Quirks. When designer Christina Salway cleaned out her family's Brooklyn townhouse (which, when they bought the abandoned property, was piled floor to ceiling with decades of junk), she found a sink and a gas stove in one of the apartments. bedroom closet. The place had essentially been subdivided into temporary apartments for various members of the previous owner's family, who had lived there for 90 years.
Her challenge was to restore the run-down house to a cohesive single-family home and figure out where to put a modern kitchen. A project this big might be intimidating to some people, but an experienced renovator like Salway doesn't have to be. Founder of Eleven to Eleven Her Designs, she is also responsible for six other major home renovations, and her husband and her son are responsible for her year-long indoor camping (i.e. , no running water) and are happy to accept takeout.
The solution Salway came up with was to convert the bedroom with a closet kitchen into the actual kitchen of the house. (She later repurposed another existing kitchen as a bedroom.) This particular bedroom has great light, is on the parlor floor, and comes complete with existing electrical and plumbing connections. Given that, it was a natural place to base the family's cooking. “We had to put everything back together,” Salway explains. She kept the original pressed tin ceiling and marble fireplace, turned the walk-in closet into a walk-in pantry, and placed the range, sink (salvaged from the second floor), and open shelving opposite the lower cabinetry and window. Did.
The finished kitchen isn't very large, but the cabinets are just over 10 feet tall, not including the 24-inch refrigerator. But very functional. “If you subtract the 30-inch stove, giant antique sink, and full-size dishwasher from a 10-foot-8-inch height, you’re basically left with a cabinet to hold your cutting board and sheet pan, and another cabinet that looks perfect. It can hold several Dutch ovens, a stock pot, and a large colander,” says Salway. “Everything else we cook every day is either in the potluck or within reach on a corner shelf.”
Choosing a wall-to-wall galley-style setup, Salway says, “I'd like to say there was a science to the design of our kitchen, but in some ways it's a design unto itself.” I explained. Of course, she still paid attention to every detail. For example, to make sure the cabinets were authentic, she sent the antique shed in her pantry to Express Her Millwork cabinetmakers in the Bronx to have her designs copied.
The revitalized kitchen feels larger than it actually is thanks to the windows and full-height backsplash. “I really like the effect of the counter-to-ceiling backsplash,” says Salway. Like the walk-in pantry, “To me, it feels true to the Victorian era of this house. [homes of that era] A convenient juxtaposition of beauty, craftsmanship, and function. ”
Cabinet hardware: eBay. countertop: Aussie edge Carrera marble, Peter Brooks Stone Works. Backsplash: Complete tile. range: Bertazoni. refrigerator: Liebherr. Counter stool: Vintage. (Salway suggests this RS Barcelona stool with a similar look.) Candelabra: Big ship salvage. Island, pot rail, faucet: antique.
By converting the closet into a walk-in pantry, Salway said the family has a place to store “all the other stuff” that doesn't fit in the kitchen.antique pine hatch Shelves store non-perishable foods and serving dishes, while lower cabinets store small appliances such as waffle makers, rice cookers, food processors, and immersion blenders, as well as dry goods, dog food, and paper towels.
This hutch is a beloved family hero piece. When we first moved in, it was used as a temporary kitchen headquarters, with an electric kettle, microwave, toaster, and hot plate in the current dining room. “Needless to say, we had a lot of delivery orders,” Sarway recalls. “It has given our family a deep appreciation for the modern convenience of running water.”
Painting the wall: All white, Farrow & Ball. Painting: Aaron Hawk.
The kitchen opposite the pantry opened into the dining room and, oddly enough, also had a sink in the closet. Salway took advantage of this opportunity to seltzer faucet Grohe products are some of her favorites in the house because they are quick to replenish. At about $1,000, “it was probably our biggest splurge,” she says. “I can't say enough about how amazing it is. I'm the most hydrated person I know.”
chandelier: Soho Home. paint: Green Blue, Farrow & Ball. Lug: Looks like the chairman. mirror: craigslist. Farm tables, sheds, chairs and paintings: antique.
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