Having lived in their historic home for 20 years, the client and their young family had grown to occupy every square inch of the home’s 2,500 square feet, and required help to discover a new way to make the main level feel larger, which included the design of a new kitchen. With only 900 square feet on the main level, the rooms were tight with a central corridor, entry, dining, kitchen, and living room. By capturing the corridor area, the central core became more functional, with stairs and a new powder room. This dramatically changed the feeling of the home by connecting the rooms in a more continuous sequence of open spaces and directing all views to the new, bright kitchen and eating area. A new 10 foot wide folding door system helps expand the living space through the kitchen and into the existing spacious screen porch.
Peyton Knisley
All floors on the main level were replaced with a continuous surface of wood and radiant-heated porcelain tile. When the large kitchen / porch door is open, the inside / outside space is unified with a continuous wood ceiling element with integrated lighting. Materially, the existing home was detailed with ornate natural finished oak trims and paneling. For the new kitchen’s oak casework and ceiling wood, the surfaces were bleached for a brighter and more expansive feeling of space.