Rowayton Kitchen
This project began with one major request from the owner – Create a bigger, more functional, clean, bright kitchen that connects more seamlessly to the rest of the house as well as the back terrace and gardens. Solving this was a little like figuring out a puzzle. Because a stone patio was recently installed in the back garden, we could only expand the kitchen by 4’. Even though the addition was quite modest, only 60sf, we were able to configure the kitchen to maximize the available space. The result is a beautiful, spacious feeling kitchen which has become the new center of the home and family life.
The owner wanted the kitchen to have a modern vibe yet be in harmony with the charming traditional architecture of the original home. To this end we designed the space with a mix of traditional and modern elements. The bones of the kitchen are traditional; the cabinetry is designed with a simple shaker panel in keeping with the details of a 1920’s cottage, and the flooring is reclaimed heart pine to match the original floors of the house. The steel and glass doors and dark paint color of the island provide a modern counterpoint to the traditional elements. Furthering this theme, we designed a floating quartz shelf and back splash instead of upper cabinets near the range. The look was fine-tuned with brass hardware, lighting, and plumbing fixtures.
The exterior walls of the addition are designed with paneling rather than traditional siding to provide contrast yet remain in harmony with the existing shingle siding. Oversized metal and glass light fixtures echo the modern graphic quality of the steel and glass doors. The standing seam copper roof and gutters complete the package, giving this little addition a character its own, yet compliments the original cottage.
General Contractor: ETM Construction, LLC
Photos: Nancy Elizabeth Hill