Period Piece Architect Roger Wells describes himself as “addicted” to old buildings, and his New Hampshire home-town is full of fine examples. So when he penned this great-room addition to his own 1860s Greek Revival farmhouse, he knew what form it would take. “We wanted to recreate a barn-like space,” he says, “using Greek Revival proportions.” Inserting a functionally modern kitchen into that historically inspired space, however, took some subtle work. While the kitchen is open to the living area, Wells gave it the feeling of an alcove by running a set of structural-looking beams overhead. “They’re just there to visually bring it down and make it feel less exposed,” he says. A high dormer centered above the kitchen reinforces its sense of being a room within a room.
Because the kitchen is open to view at all times, Wells took measures to integrate it with the larger living space. The island’s furniture-like design, antiqued-paint finish, and hickory countertop soften the contrast between the granite-topped work areas and the adjacent living and dining spaces. Equally important is the lack of upper wall cabinets. A walk-in pantry, out of view, handles bulk food storage and dishware, freeing wall space for windows and floor-to-ceiling cabinets.
CH060401077L19.jpg Photographer: Eric Roth Builder: Stocker Woodworks, Sunapee, N.H.; Architect: R. Wells Design, North Sutton, N.H.; Project size: 300 square feet; Construction cost: $200 a square foot; Photographer: Eric Roth. Floor Plan Builder: Stocker Woodworks, Sunapee, N.H.; Architect: R. Wells Design, North Sutton, N.H.; Project size: 300 square feet; Construction cost: $200 a square foot. This kitchen shares an open, barn-like volume with living and dining areas, but its dark, furniture-like cabinetry and handsome layout make it more than fit for company. Builder: Stocker Woodworks, Sunapee, N.H.; Architect: R. Wells Design, North Sutton, N.H.; Project size: 300 square feet; Construction cost: $200 a square foot; Photographer: Eric Roth. Project Credits: Builder: Stocker Woodworks, Sunapee, N.H.; Architect: R. Wells Design, North Sutton, N.H.; Project size: 300 square feet; Construction cost: $200 a square foot; Photographer: Eric Roth.
Resources: Dishwasher: Bosch; Garbage disposer: In-Sink-Erator; Kitchen cabinets: Crown Point; Kitchen plumbing fittings/fixtures: Dornbracht and Franke; Lighting fixtures: Poulsen Lighting; Oven: Thermador, Circle 186; Paint: Fine Paints of Europe; Refrigerator: Sub-Zero; Windows: Marvin.
Details Kitchens long ago came out of hiding and began to mix with company, but too many are still learning how to dress for the party. This one has its look nailed, and the key is a suite of cabinets that would be equally at home in a living or dining room. “The idea is to make it look like built-in furniture,” says architect Roger Wells, “so they have legs, and they’re inserted into walls.” The antique-black finish tops the living room in formality, and the lone bank of wall cabinets presents a very un-kitchen-like arrangement of drawers, glass doors, and open shelving.
