When looking for a house, sometimes very Limit your creative thinking when touring more dilapidated and outdated homes. But if you're willing to put up with it, it's worth it. For example, this little shotgun house that my husband and I named “Cherry Pop” after the pretty color of its exterior (coincidentally, the kitchen was also a deep red) had a lot of room for improvement. Especially in the kitchen, where the plastered floors, darkened, outdated cabinets, blood-red paneled walls, and drop ceilings were anything but promising.But we made the purchase in spite of A small dark red room at the back of the house.
The kitchen, a later addition to an 1883 home, certainly felt like an appendage, but I've remodeled enough kitchens to hide behind the 1980s aesthetic. I learned that it is possible to create a cozy and cozy space even when you are in a room. They stripped it down to the joists and original brick, and sure enough, there was enough bone to create a charming centerpiece for the house. Here's how.
The new layout makes better use of limited space.
Our previous kitchen had an awkward layout with a washing machine next to the stove and a large pantry in the corner. A refrigerator stood randomly, blocking half of the way in and out of the room. A dark wood cabinet surrounded the room, and the upper part was surrounded by two walls.
we broke it all I pushed the laundry into the corner where the pantry was, slid the sink under the window overlooking the large backyard, and put the refrigerator on the same wall as the range. In the center of the room, we placed a wooden-framed island with four stools to serve all the necessary functions. (That's where I sit to write this story!) This kind of deconstructed atmosphere feels like the kitchens I've seen in France or Italy, even if everything doesn't quite match up, and to me is more individual.
I made it a priority to feature the historic details of this home.
Instead of hiding the age of the house (140 years old!), we decided to highlight it. When the siding, drywall, and stucco came off, my husband and I found the original window opening that someone had covered a century ago when they added on the kitchen. We have preserved these openings, along with the original exterior brickwork and original wooden door frames with authentic distressing. Framing the window openings and painting the wood the same Benjamin Moore Deep Indigo as the cabinets and trim (also used on the ceilings in other parts of the house) created a cohesive feel. Opening these windows wasn't part of the original plan, but it allowed light to stream in from the entryway and other parts of the house, making the kitchen feel larger.
Storage (even in unexpected locations) was a must.
I had limited space for the upper cabinets, so I had two sets of 3-tier shelving units on one wall (unfortunately no longer available) and had a carpenter build them with just a 2×12 and paint for the sink and the opposite wall. I had a corner shelf built between the microwave. The shelves look much more expensive than before. I added a brass rail below it to hang a coffee mug. We also added a shelf to one of his old window openings and chose island furniture for additional storage. (Working with a professional organizer helped us maximize our storage space!) Somehow, almost everything we kept from our old kitchen and pantry fit.
Natural colors and materials make your kitchen feel cozy.
I used a dull rose pink paint (Benjamin Moore's Boudoir) throughout the house, and decided to paint the walls and ceiling the same color in the kitchen. Ceilings in other rooms of the house are 12 feet, but the much lower kitchen ceiling slopes further to match the roof line. By using the same color throughout, you create a cozy atmosphere without giving a cramped impression.
To save money, we considered cute new stick-on tiles, but we were worried about wear and tear from our two dogs, so we ended up choosing ceramic. Thankfully, it was still pretty easy on the wallet (less than $1 per square foot at Floor & Decor). Carrying the tiles all the way to the front door made the kitchen feel like a part of the house rather than an addition. I used picket tiles left over from another project for a backsplash that tied in perfectly with the flooring. Textured stone floors, brick and butcher block countertops, an island made from reclaimed factory beams and floorboards, and knobby linen cafe curtains all combine to create an authentic, rustic feel. Masu.
One of my kitchen reno rules? No boring appliances.
You can probably tell that I don't like my kitchen to look too sterile. So, no stainless steel appliances here. I chose black appliances for most of the room to create a sense of glamor, but I added a playful touch to the refrigerator. This is a Samsung Bespoke refrigerator with pink panels in the freezer and center drawer. If you get tired of pink, you can easily change it.
This kitchen project was just one part of a two-month-long whole house renovation. It was almost indistinguishable from the first day I saw it, but when I gather friends here for intimate dinners, the biggest compliment they give me is, “It's amazing.” myself.
Inspired? Submit your own project here.
Correction: An earlier version of this post was edited to say the house was named after the red kitchen, but it was actually named after the Cherry Cola-inspired exterior. I've updated the post to be more accurate.
