Before and After: Renovating A Modern Farmhouse Kitchen

When tasked with refreshing the kitchen of our client’s Connecticut vacation home, I had many ideas on how to open the space and update the design. With all projects, there are several objectives and challenges faced. For this home, the client requested we add light, create additional storage, and source materials that could be easily cleaned and maintained. I also added modern design elements and created a cohesive relationship between the breakfast room and kitchen.

Adding Light

To create a light and airy feeling throughout the kitchen and breakfast room, I chose white paint for the walls, and soft Farrow and Ball green for the window trim, and island. A modern plaster hood carries the light upwards and out, along with counter to ceiling tiles in glossy white. The white perimeter countertop and light fabrics were also carefully selected to enhance the space.

Another key design decision for brightening the space was to increase the size of the window over the sink and the breakfast banquette. In addition, we chose to keep the windows free of window treatments, opting instead to add interest with the contrast green paint on the mullions.

Improving Flow & Adding Storage

To unify the two spaces, I designed a banquette wall beneath the newly-expanded window in the breakfast room. This allowed us to bring in a bigger table that seats 10, and include custom storage on three walls. Now, the breakfast room fully utilizes the space.

To create new storage opportunities, the new banquette features cabinets with sliding doors underneath. I also added a free standing chest of drawers, and created custom icebox style built-in cabinets on the left wall.

In the kitchen, we lengthened the island and moved the entry door, extending the footprint of the cabinetry to the outside wall. This allowed for a larger fridge/freezer combination. Cabinets on either side of the kitchen window seat were added – one side housing double ovens, and the other a pull out pantry. We took advantage of previously unused space and increased the footprint of the working kitchen space.

Utilizing Durable Materials

This is the client’s weekend home, so they wanted hassle free, low-maintenance materials that can be easily cleaned. I went with Ceasarstone countertops, selecting a pure white for the perimeter counters, and their rustic concrete for the island. The dark, mottled surface on the island has a particularly forgiving finish and stylish look. The breakfast room table has a durable bar top lacquer, and we kept the profile of the kitchen cabinets simple for easy cleaning.

Most fabrics used were indoor/outdoor or faux leather to aid in preventing stains. Eye catching marbleized fabric pillows on the window seat are one of my favorite details. A side chair in the breakfast room displays a geometric Hermès performance fabric, adding just the right pattern balance to the space.

Infusing Modern Elements

The mix of modern and traditional elements is an important balance. In this country house kitchen, a simple plaster hood, clean-lined pot rack, and angular bar stools add modern flair. The banquette style seat is contemporary, but its iron rod blends in the traditional. Industrial style light fixtures over the counter and two-toned picture lights on the breakfast built-in bring a modern and cohesive look to the space.

This renovation ties together my love for a light color palette, improving functionality, and of course, Connecticut. I enjoyed the project’s unique set of challenges and loved seeing our vision come to life. It resulted in one of my favorite projects to date, combining modern creativity with a forever-classic space.

Pleased to say the project has since been featured in Connecticut Cottages and Gardens, and won an AtHome Magazine A-List Award! To see more of the before and afters of this project, click here.