Making the transition

The kitchen is usually one of the first rooms to be considered when undertaking a major remodeling project. And sometimes it even determines the entire interior layout.

Architect Pete Lackey of Charles R Meyer & Associates says this house, built in 1897 in the historic Brattle Street area of Cambridge, MA, had plenty of character, but wasn't well suited to modern living. The original kitchen was positioned in the back of the house, in an area that would once have been designated for the servants.

"We needed to bring the kitchen into the center of the house where it could better serve the needs of a busy family that loves to entertain," Lackey says. "This was the starting point for the design. The kitchen generated the floor plan for the rest of the interior, not only because it needed to relate to the other living areas, but because we wanted to bring additional light into this part of the house."

Working with the team at S&H Construction and interior designer Courtney Taylor, Lackey says the solution was to create a double-height void in the kitchen. This meant light could be borrowed from windows on the floor above.

In addition, three small square windows were doubled in size to bring more light into the kitchen. Although the windows face the busy street, the translucent circular bottle glass allows privacy without sacrificing light.

"We also added a row of windows to the rear wall to provide more light and a view of the rear yard," says the architect.

The transformation of the space into a bright, lively kitchen is reinforced by the colors and materials. Taylor says the owners didn't want a fussy, formal interior.

"They wanted to introduce a whimsical, playful element, hence the choice of bright colors, such as the blue walls and turquoise island. Typically, I like an island to be different from the wraparound cabinetry in a kitchen. In this room, the turquoise color and Calacatta marble countertop are a lively contrast to the white cabinets and the gray Pietra Cardoza countertops on the perimeter."

Taylor says that although there are bright colors in the room and in other areas the central spine of the house is painted in a buttermilk shade that creates a neutral backdrop. This ensures the color is never overpowering.

To provide high functionality, the cooking zone was placed at one end of the kitchen, with the range framed by symmetrical overhead cabinets, a glass-tiled backsplash and custom hood. Cleanup is accommodated by a sink and dishwashers on the rear wall, which leaves the island free to be used as a food preparation area, buffet station or casual eating area. A large walk-in pantry is positioned to the left of the breakfast table and banquette seating area.

Story by: Colleen Hawkes

Photography by: Jamie Cobeldick