Boston’s South Shore Top Design and Build Talent
Featured Project, Published in South Shore Home Life & Style
Second Time’s the Charm
Like reconnecting with an old friend, revisiting a past project can breathe a new, inspired life into a space. Initially designed almost ten years prior, the needs for this space went beyond aesthetic updates. While the original design had good bones, the clients experience living in the space, compounded by mobility issues and considerations for future planning drove the underlying need to revisit the design. Working closely with the clients it became clear that the storage was not meeting their needs and the monolithic kitchen island was disrupting the flow, proving difficult for anyone with mobility issues to navigate. Entertaining, a large part of the client’s lifestyle, was also difficult with no designated place to prep, serve, or display when they hosted. The adjacent bar contained similar challenges with a large bar disrupting the flow into the living area and surrounding seating areas that weren’t conducive to social engagement.
In addition to improving functionality, the new design needed to make the space feel lighter and brighter, all while attempting to reuse as much of the existing materials as possible and working around steel structural columns.
The resulting design completely transformed the space, all while honoring the original footprint of the kitchen and bar. To start, the existing storage was retooled to better suit the clients’ specific needs. Glass inserts were added to cabinets along with mirrored back open shelving, giving the clients a dedicated place to serve guests and display special pieces. The vast kitchen island was broken into two separate islands, giving the clients a working island for prep as well as a large eating island. Reworking the island greatly improved the flow of the space by creating a more efficient pathway for the clients to navigate. Visually this change lifted a lot of the heaviness out of the space. Transitioning from the kitchen to the bar, the threshold was parred down from a stained-glass window to a more contemporary mullion glass surround, helping define the space without separating it. A similar treatment was given to the bar as the kitchen island; previously closed off the living area it was opened to create a natural flow from one space to the next. The seating area around the bar was redone with a built-in bench and table that overlooked the scenic nearby river. This new configuration created a space that the clients would eagerly use, whether it be as a breakfast bar or entertaining after dinner.
Overall, the new color palette and improved lighting helped to drench the new design in light. The sink window was enlarged and a new light fixture over the island mimics the curves of the river that cuts through the property. Existing recessed lights were re-used with new lightbulbs that toned down the warmth of the previous lights. The new design lifted the weight out of the room, giving the clients a light and inviting space that met their functional needs in the most efficient way possible.
