Kitchen of the Week: A Roomier Space With Classic Good Looks
Two designers work with a Vermont couple to create a better layout, more function and timeless style in a 1905 home
Sure, a 1905 home comes with lots of architectural charm, but in terms of a functional, modern-day kitchen — not so much. For Vermont couple Devin McKnight and Becca Brown McKnight, the majority of their countertop space amounted to two butcher-block-topped rolling carts flanking a range, while their storage space totaled a few old cabinets and a pegboard wall on which they hung pots and pans.
After three years of this setup, they decided it was time to renovate. The couple hired designer Brittny Mee to advise on cabinet selection and layout, and designer Greta Sloan to create a new floor plan. The couple chose many of their own finishes, and the collaborative effort resulted in an L-shape layout with island that packs in lots of storage and counter space, plus a transitional-meets-French style that lends a refreshing, classic look befitting of the home’s roots.
After three years of this setup, they decided it was time to renovate. The couple hired designer Brittny Mee to advise on cabinet selection and layout, and designer Greta Sloan to create a new floor plan. The couple chose many of their own finishes, and the collaborative effort resulted in an L-shape layout with island that packs in lots of storage and counter space, plus a transitional-meets-French style that lends a refreshing, classic look befitting of the home’s roots.
After: Sloan reconfigured the entry area by moving the exit door over to the left, where a window had been. She then used the former entryway to create a half bath. “There was limited space and we absolutely had to be creative,” Sloan says. “It let in more light and extended the kitchen closer to the backyard.”
The upgraded door includes insulated glass with a Douglas fir exterior that matches the new wood floor in the kitchen. A rectangular island with a stain-resistant Statuario-marble-look quartz top gives the family work space and seating for casual meals. The same durable quartz was used for the perimeter counters to help give the kitchen a clean and unified look. “I like it because it looks like marble, and it goes with my French range,” Becca says.
Mee helped the couple choose the transitional-style cabinets with Shaker-style doors and vintage round brass knobs that Becca found at a local antiques store. The cabinets as well as the full-extension, soft-close drawers with brass cup pulls were painted a blue-green-gray (Oil Cloth by Benjamin Moore) that offers contrast to the white walls.
Cabinets: Medallion Cabinetry
The upgraded door includes insulated glass with a Douglas fir exterior that matches the new wood floor in the kitchen. A rectangular island with a stain-resistant Statuario-marble-look quartz top gives the family work space and seating for casual meals. The same durable quartz was used for the perimeter counters to help give the kitchen a clean and unified look. “I like it because it looks like marble, and it goes with my French range,” Becca says.
Mee helped the couple choose the transitional-style cabinets with Shaker-style doors and vintage round brass knobs that Becca found at a local antiques store. The cabinets as well as the full-extension, soft-close drawers with brass cup pulls were painted a blue-green-gray (Oil Cloth by Benjamin Moore) that offers contrast to the white walls.
Cabinets: Medallion Cabinetry
The couple splurged on a 40-inch French-made Lacanche range that became the centerpiece of the kitchen. “I love my range because it’s beautiful and reminds me of all those old culinary traditions of France,” Becca says.
Custom cherry floating shelves made in Vermont offer open storage for everyday dishes, cups, glasses and serving pieces.
Crisp, clean white walls (Chantilly Lace by Benjamin Moore) join the white countertops, range and white backsplash tiles to deliver a bright, airy feel.
The 4-by-4-inch ceramic backsplash tiles are a classic touch. “I felt like it had more of a vintage look, which worked well with what I wanted to achieve,” Becca says.
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Custom cherry floating shelves made in Vermont offer open storage for everyday dishes, cups, glasses and serving pieces.
Crisp, clean white walls (Chantilly Lace by Benjamin Moore) join the white countertops, range and white backsplash tiles to deliver a bright, airy feel.
The 4-by-4-inch ceramic backsplash tiles are a classic touch. “I felt like it had more of a vintage look, which worked well with what I wanted to achieve,” Becca says.
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Before: A look at the other side of the former kitchen shows a crowded sink area with little countertop or storage space.
The back staircase to the left of the sink led to bedrooms on the upper level of the home.
The back staircase to the left of the sink led to bedrooms on the upper level of the home.
After: Sloan removed the stairs in the kitchen because another staircase in the nearby TV room also provided access to the upper floor. She closed up the wall and used the space to include a bank of cabinets and the refrigerator, which now stands essentially where the sink used to. The window size changed because of the lower cabinets but stayed in the same location. “Moving the sink to the island gives you longer runs of countertop,” Mee says.
Three brass-and-reclaimed-wood stools have proved popular with the family. “My kids sit at the island now,” Becca says. “They’re so happy sitting on those stools, and they’re great for informal meals.”
Vintage drop pendants hang over the island and adjustable brass sconces provide light on the range wall. “In Vermont, the winters are long and it feels dark early at night, so the lights help it feel brighter,” Becca says.
Vintage drop pendants hang over the island and adjustable brass sconces provide light on the range wall. “In Vermont, the winters are long and it feels dark early at night, so the lights help it feel brighter,” Becca says.
The island includes a large apron-front sink with brass faucet, a stainless steel dishwasher, and pullout trash and recycling bins.
Sloan removed a wall between the kitchen and dining room to add natural light and allow space for the island. “Once the wall was removed, it was a totally different space,” Mee says. “It was dark before, and now the tone and temperature of the space has changed.”
Sloan removed a wall between the kitchen and dining room to add natural light and allow space for the island. “Once the wall was removed, it was a totally different space,” Mee says. “It was dark before, and now the tone and temperature of the space has changed.”
The microwave sits in a lower shelf to the right of the range. “I really like that it’s not visually prominent and pretty close to the fridge,” Becca says.
The drawer below holds glass containers and dishes for the kids.
The drawer below holds glass containers and dishes for the kids.
A pullout spice rack sits between the microwave and range, with nearby drawers providing storage for pots and pans. “The placement of it is great, with our main chopping space right above there, and it’s easy to find just what you need,” Becca says.
A wide and deep cabinet with pullout shelf sits between the microwave and refrigerator and holds a stand mixer, baking pans and small appliances. The drawer just above the cabinet holds baking utensils, plastic wrap and aluminum foil.
This floor plans shows how the kitchen was designed for good traffic flow and designated storage to give the busy family the organized space it needs. “As the primary cook in the family, I find this kitchen a really inspiring space to cook yummy food,” Becca says. “The kitchen has always been the center of our home, but now it’s much more comfortable and we can relax together as a family.”
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Find a kitchen designer
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Kitchen at a Glance
Who lives here: Devin McKnight, an attorney, and Becca Brown McKnight, a marketing consultant, plus their two young children and large Newfoundland dog
Location: Burlington, Vermont
Size: About 185 square feet (17 square meters)
Designers: Brittny Mee of Bouchard-Pierce (cabinet selection and layout) and Greta Sloan of GSI Greta Sloan Interiors (floor plan)
Builder: Heartwood Builders
Before: In this photo of the kitchen prior to the renovation, the butcher-block-topped rolling carts on either side of the range show the limited counter and prep space. The pegboard wall served as the main storage for pots and pans.
Meanwhile, the tight back entry of the house didn’t provide a fluid connection to the back porch and garden. “We love to garden and entertain a lot, so our goal was to make a kitchen that felt more spacious, and use the space we had better,” Becca says.
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