A Farmhouse Kitchen
The owners of this beautifully restored Connecticut farmhouse knew that they wanted their new kitchen to be furnished in a style that would complement the period style of their home. Their existing ‘farmhouse kitchen’ located in the original 1770 wing of the house (the connector shown below) was composed of custom cabinetry and exposed appliances that just didn’t fit the home’s colonial style. So after searching the internet, the owners discovered YesterTec’s unique workstations and how they could be just the right solution for their new farmhouse kitchen.
Below is the interior view from the most used entrance of the house (shown above). It was important that the view of the kitchen not compromise the period style of the home, especially at the entrance. This view is also seen from the timber framed family room which is located behind the camera. Immediately opposite the entry door, a beautiful cherry Cupboard acts as an informal buffet and even has a built-in ironing board as the kitchen also needed to accommodate the laundry area. Other spacial needs included a powder room, a mini-office and an eating area. In addition the kitchen wing connects to the 1810 structure that includes the paneled Living room (located through the doorway that is left of the red breakfront), so the kitchen is part of the main traffic pattern. All of these functions needed to be met while not compromising any efficiency in the food prep area!
Super Efficient Workstations save steps
To accomplish this, a very concise work triangle was designed incorporating three super- efficient workstations. A pine Armoire hides the large Subzero 700 refrigerator/ freezer, and a painted Range/ Breakfront conceals the microwave oven/hood and another wall oven. The black ceramic cooktop blends in with the honed black granite countertop. The painted Island Sink workstation features a soapstone sink, a hidden dishwasher and a honed black granite top. The Storage unit above the countertop hides the messy work areas from view from the family room, and its cherry countertop reinforces its furniture quality. The range and sink workstations are extra deep, creating more efficient countertop space and larger storage areas as well.
A few steps away is a large painted Working Pantry Armoire that conceals a countertop and all the small electrical appliances. This ‘catch all’ piece eliminates the need for long runs of above counter wall cabinets. In addition, the freestanding piece fits neatly between two double height windows. The laundry was concealed in a closet with planked doors.
Located left of the entrance to the family room and right of the main entrance door, a painted Secretary Desk with a fold-down worktop conceals the hi-tech computer workstation. The timber frame family room (still shown with the temporary construction kitchen) was added to the original 1770 kitchen wing in 1998.
Create a beautiful Room: Then furnish it!
Seeing the continuity of the ochre painted walls, the wide planked floors and the original hand hewn beams between the six pieces of furniture contributes to the success of this kitchen. The workstations feature 3 different paint colors, 2 stained wood types, 3 different countertop surfaces, 4 different door styles and 2 drawer styles and yet the entire ensemble is held together with the continuity of the room’s restrained finishes. This is the key to designing beautiful, functional rooms with workstations as opposed to designing with continuous runs of cabinetry and counter tops that need uniformity to have a successful look.
