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History Lesson An original Shingle-style cottage would never show its kitchen to the guests. But expectations have changed since the style first appeared in the late 19th century, and when Mark Finlay designed this updated version in eastern Connecticut he included a kitchen that combines period design themes with a user-friendly experience that was simply not in the original program. The guiding principle, he says, was to avoid complication. “Clean, crisp white interior, simple cabinetry, very functional,” he says. “And it had to look good all the time, because it’s part of the main space.”

Black hardware, black granite counters, and stainless steel appliances give the room a businesslike elegance. “It can be dressed up or down, depending on the function,” Finlay says. A slightly different cabinet design and a change of counter-top material—to cherry—mark the center island as something between a built-in piece and a furnishing. A high ceiling allows space for an upper tier of wall cabinets. The butler’s pantry keeps the wine cooler and microwave discreetly out of view.

Project Credits:
Builder: Hobbs Inc., New Canaan, Conn.; Architect: Mark P. Finlay Architects, Southport, Conn.; Project size: 280 square feet; Construction cost: Withheld; Photographer: Nancy Hill.

Resources:
Dishwashers: Asko and Fisher & Paykel; Kitchen plumbing fittings/fixtures: Elkay and Rohl; Lighting fixtures: Urban Archaeology; Paint: Benjamin Moore; Patio doors/windows: Tischler and Sohn; Range: DCS; Refrigerator: Sub-Zero; Trash compactor: In-Sink-Erator.

CH060401077L5.jpg View image gallery. Photo: Nancy Hill Open to living and dining rooms for casual functionality, this kitchen remains very much in character with its Shingle-style context. Builder: Hobbs Inc., New Canaan, Conn.; Architect: Mark P. Finlay Architects, Southport, Conn.; Project size: 280 square feet; Construction cost: Withheld; Photographer: Nancy Hill. Builder: Hobbs Inc., New Canaan, Conn.; Architect: Mark P. Finlay Architects, Southport, Conn.; Project size: 280 square feet; Construction cost: Withheld; Photographer: Nancy Hill. Floor Plan Builder: Hobbs Inc., New Canaan, Conn.; Architect: Mark P. Finlay Architects, Southport, Conn.; Project size: 280 square feet; Construction cost: Withheld. Details
The casual functionality of an open kitchen and the formality of a 19th-century interior prove a winning combination in this variation on the great room. The key is a deft play of connection and separation. A classically trimmed opening between the living room and kitchen and a ceiling beam between the kitchen and dining room define the spaces while leaving them functionally undivided. A consistent palette of colors and materials ties the three rooms together in a harmonious composition.