Eliot Street

Our clients came to us with the challenge of updating the small kitchen in their 1940s brick bungalow. The galley kitchen had last been updated sometime in the 90s before they purchased the home. The existing space lacked storage, was short on counter space, and the finishes made the room feel dark and cramped. It was important to the clients to inject a retro aesthetic that would vibe with the home yet feel modern and current. Our first item to tackle was the layout. We felt the current configuration left a lot to be desired, so we did a round of musical chairs with the key kitchen elements. The sink slid down closer to the dining room in front of the new garden window. We swapped the fridge to the opposite side of the kitchen. And we shift the range to center, which provided room for an impressive 36" Thermador gas range and vent hood. These changes required quite the undertaking from our build team, but, as always, they skillfully tackled all of it. From raising the window height for the new sink location to opening up the kitchen to the back staircase so we could fit the fridge and new pantry, our guys made it all happen! Speaking of pantry. Our clients had an existing small and shallow pantry closet. It served them well, but through our design meeting conversations, we learned that they could use a bit more storage for larger items. They also wanted a microwave but didn't want it front and center. Based on these requests, we came up with the idea to activate the space above their basement stairs with a pantry stack that houses a countertop microwave and additional storage above. We not only paid careful attention to the layout upgrades but also took our time on the aesthetic of their new kitchen. Their style vision included: green, warmth, modern, retro touches. Together we really tackled that checklist! The two-tone slab cabinets are sleek and modern, but also echo what we would have likely seen in the original 40s kitchen. And the timeless warmth of the light taupe and Echowood oak veneer balance out the more trendy green accent wall color. Handmade 3- inch hex tiles by Heath in their matte textured glaze finish Steam add a chic retro vibe, and the soft variation lends an inviting wabi-sabi vibe. We went with a glossy 3 x 12 tile through the rest of the kitchen to bounce more natural light throughout the kitchen. As a complement to the accent tile, we went with a cabinetry pull that is an extruded hexagon. The satin nickel facets reflect the light as you walk through space. One of our favorite elements in this kitchen is the pop of green on the pantry closet and back wall of the stairs. We went with the warm-toned (more yellow forward than blue) Privlidege Green by Sherwin Williams. The final touches include brass and opal glass globe pendants and matte marble-look quartz countertops. We love this retro-chic kitchen and wish our clients years of happy cooking, gathering, and living!