A Small Kitchen Becomes a Spacious and Modern Oasis •

TISHA LEUNGJEFF HERRPosted June 8, 2016
The 1928 Colonial in Druid Hills, Georgia, had a lot of positive characteristics—including its location in a historic neighborhood designed by Frederick Law Olmsted—but the kitchen was not one of them. “The original space wasn’t large enough to fit modern appliances,” says architect Ili Hidalgo-Nilsson of the Georgia firm Terracotta Design Build. Her goal was to create a new kitchen for the clients, who live in the home with their bulldog, Lucy. “They wanted an open kitchen that retained the period feel of the house,” says Hidalgo-Nilsson. She transformed the cramped room by quadrupling the space to 375 square feet, designing custom cabinets for storage, and bringing in modern materials and finishes. Here’s how Hidalgo-Nilsson’s smart design ideas resulted in the couple’s dream kitchen.
The clients wanted to eliminate all upper cabinets. The CornuFe 90 range was the only cooking appliance installed, freeing up the rest of the lower cabinets for storage.

The clients wanted to eliminate all upper cabinets. The CornuFe 90 range was the only cooking appliance installed, freeing up the rest of the lower cabinets for storage.

 

The original eight-by-ten kitchen’s materials and appliances were outdated. Hidalgo-Nilsson installed custom cabinetry, classic Venatino marble countertops, and a powerhouse cooking unit for a fresh and modern look.
The original eight-by-ten kitchen’s materials and appliances were outdated. Hidalgo-Nilsson installed custom cabinetry, classic Venatino marble countertops, and a powerhouse cooking unit for a fresh and modern look.
Instead of hanging the Circa Lighting pendant fixtures over the island, Hidalgo-Nilsson installed them around the kitchen’s perimeter as an accent to the marble tile and casement windows. “The recessed overhead lights provides sufficient functional lighting,” she notes.
Instead of hanging the Circa Lighting pendant fixtures over the island, Hidalgo-Nilsson installed them around the kitchen’s perimeter as an accent to the marble tile and casement windows. “The recessed overhead lights provides sufficient functional lighting,” she notes.
The window casements echo the period style found throughout the historic house. Hidalgo-Nilsson used black on the mullions; the tile grout and cooking range are also black to tie the kitchen together. To keep the backsplash free of electrical outlets, built-in strips were installed along the lower cabinets and island.
The window casements echo the period style found throughout the historic house. Hidalgo-Nilsson used black on the mullions; the tile grout and cooking range are also black to tie the kitchen together. To keep the backsplash free of electrical outlets, built-in strips were installed along the lower cabinets and island.