Special Focus: New England Kitchens and Baths
Function and form make a beautiful marriage in these five spaces by New England designers. Midcentury Revival The owners envisioned a bright, open floor plan, but they also wanted to respect the pedigree of the 1950s home they had just bought. Architects Chris Brown and Lauren Davis gutted and rearranged the kitchen, sunroom, and part of a dining room, opening up walls to usher in the light. Then they introduced space-defining elements; a slatted wall at one end of the kitchen island separates the space from the entry hall, while the raised countertop that serves as bar area separates the kitchen from the dining area. The rich walnut of the island, cabinet perimeters, and some countertops contrasts with white cabinetry for a warm but crisp look. A linear walnut pendant above the island reinforces the clean lines of the space. The husband satisfies his passion for bread making in a special nook that holds a second oven and a cookbook shelf. Nearby, two banks of pullout drawers keep clutter out of the kitchen. Of the husband’s weekly (sometimes daily) efforts, Davis says, “I have tried it, and it is delicious.” CREDITS Architecture: Chris Brown and Lauren Davis, Brown + Davis Design Builder: Sweeney Design Build Photography: Ryan Bent Coastal Vibe Designer Laura Gall has vacationed on Nantucket for years, so when she decided to build a hilltop house with views of Casco Bay in Cumberland Foreside, Maine, she wanted, she says, “to bring elements I experienced there to Maine.” She married this inclination with modern impulses in a light and airy kitchen with nine-foot-high ceilings and walls painted white. She added a sense of warmth in the form of oak floors and walnut drawer faces, and introduced texture with woven pendant lights and island stools. Collaborating with senior designer Jodi…
