When this historic home in Mahwah, N.J., was new, slaving over a hot stove held an all-too-literal meaning. Dating from the 18th century, the building is witness to nearly the whole timeline of domestic technology. With its most recent make-over, however, it gets something it never had before: a kitchen that meets contemporary standards of technology and comfort while respecting the original character of the house.
“We wanted to go with the house,” says designer Amir Ilin. But an original period kitchen would have more likely been in the basement or an outbuilding than in this sunny space, no doubt converted from some earlier use. Even with the room in its current location, because of the house’s historic designation, “we didn’t have the option of moving windows and doors.”
Ilin’s response was to engage in a bit of historical fiction. The new kitchen suggests age but not any single era, “as if there were pieces added over time, not all at once.” Ilin designed cabinetry to look like furniture, “and not necessarily the furniture you would see in a kitchen.”A large butler’s pantry handles storage, alleviating the clutter of wall cabinets in the main kitchen. The island is a cherry-topped table fitted with storage drawers.An armoirelike cabinet hides a built-in refrigerator; a flat-panel door conceals the dishwasher, controls and all.The result is a kind of honest deception, a little lie that somehow gets very close to the true nature of the house.
Project Credits: Designer/general contractor: Küche + Cucina, Paramus, N.J.; Project size: 400 square feet; Construction cost: $313 per square foot; Photographer: Philip Ennis.
Resources: Cabinets and hardware: SieMatic, Circle 180; Countertops: Pyrolave USA, Circle 181; Dishwasher: Gaggenau, Circle 182; Fittings and fixtures: Rohl, Circle 183; Flooring: Bruce Hardwood Floors, Circle 184; Lighting: Urban Archaeology, Circle 185; Oven/range: Garland, Circle 186; Paints/stains: Ralph Lauren, Circle 187; Refrigerator: Sub-Zero, Circle 188.
