Vintage materials and a simple fashion help pay tribute to the kitchen all-American roots. Once an orchard worker’s home, this 200-year-old house in Melrose, Massachusetts, has gone through several renovations. Those renovations covered or altered many of the home’s historical features — such as the original brick oven and fireplace in the kitchen. Designer Eric Luciano chose to begin, tearing down the drywall surrounding the toaster to reshape this kitchen into a more viable space that also matches the home’s history.
Kitchen in a Glance
Who lives here: A couple in their 60s
Location: Melrose, Massachusetts
Size: 250 square feet
Cost: $45,000
Luciano Group
After ripping out a dilapidated porch above the kitchen, Luciano was able to raise the low ceiling by about 8 inches. Bright black walnut, warm yellow walls and contrasting white woodwork draw the eyes away from the low ceiling height.
Pendant: Restoration Hardware; wall paint: Butter Pecan, California Paints; dishwasher: Frigidaire
Luciano Group
Granite or marble counters felt too chilly for this blossom kitchen, so Luciano purchased large parts of American black walnut in pieces and cut them onsite for custom counters.
Countertops: Craft Art
See how to work with wood countertops
Luciano Group
The original brick chimney and oven was covered up by drywall during a previous renovation. Luciano had no idea just how much of a presence they would become until his group took down all the surrounding walls, but he adopted the prominent brick in his design. He abandoned the part above the original oven open for timber storage.
Luciano Group
Luciano altered the kitchen’s original galley layout to an L shape, expanding into an old laundry room. The new layout not only generates more working space, but also allows for greater entertaining — if guests are finished, the kitchen mess can be hidden on the marble worktop, imperceptible from kitchen’s entry and the adjacent dining room.
Cabinetry: Starmark; hardware: Restoration Hardware; fridge: Maytag
Luciano Group
All-white appliances blend in the cabinet layout. “Stainless steel would just be too slick for the home,” says Luciano. “As a designer you need to maintain the integrity of the home.” The scope was part of the previous kitchen, and the customers plan to eventually replace it using an abysmal version.
Two-by-4 Carrara marble tiles tie in with the baking counter around the corner of the L-shaped kitchen. Luciano chosen for a backsplash onto just 1 wall to avoid visual clutter.
Luciano Group
Rather than extending the black walnut countertops, Luciano chosen for marble on this particular breakfast and baking place. “It may stain, but it has a café feel and also is a great worktop for baking,” he states.
The customers love to bake, and this working space’s location makes it simple to keep messes from sight.
Sink: Domsjo, Ikea
Luciano Group
Initially the client needed a piece of furniture for this particular desk place, but Luciano suggested this custom made solution to make more counter area and stick with the kitchen clean and simple lines. A counter and drawer legs underneath allude into some piece of furniture without creating an awkward gap between the counter and desk.
The customers also use this region as a location for food when it is ready to bring into the dining table. “Cabinets could have been put here rather than a desk,” says Luciano. “But I needed to add a feature to this kitchen.”
Stool: Era Counter Stool