Project: Victorian Kitchen Remodel with J. Bradley Architects and Suburban Construction
We were honored to collaborate on this project to breathe new life into a late 1800’s Victorian kitchen, right in the heart of Melrose. The homeowners came to McGuire + Co. Kitchen & Bath for help with cabinetry and design, building on preliminary plans from Jay Bradley of J. Bradley Architects.
Our designer, Jenni Jacobs, finessed the cabinetry layout, accessories and finishes, and stayed involved throughout the construction and installation phase, when John Bingham’s team at Suburban Construction expertly executed every last detail. The end result is an open and light-filled, yet dramatic kitchen, worthy of the home’s rich Victorian character and charm.
The updated layout of the kitchen centered a 6-burner Wolf range and ventilation hood on the main wall, creating a dramatic focal point. The sink moved to an adjacent wall, allowing plenty of room between the workstations.
Nothing beats the soaring ceiling heights in Victorian homes! To ensure the wall cabinets stayed at a comfortable and functional height, Suburban Construction built a plastered soffit around the room to contain the cabinetry and crown molding.
Tin ceiling panels and matching crown molding highlight the full height of the room and compliment the stainless steel appliances.
The open U-shaped layout of the kitchen is bright and airy, with large windows allowing light to fill the space from two directions. The peninsula creates an informal spot for the family to gather together in the kitchen.
The mix of cabinetry finishes is rich and bold yet feels very appropriate in a home with as much character and warmth in adjoining rooms.
The homeowners selected a slate blue painted finish for the base cabinetry and a stained Cherry wood for the wall cabinets, while the polished nickel faucet and hardware add lovely sparkle.
Fluted overlay details left and right of the sink are also carried to either side of the range.
The floors and walls remained relatively neutral, allowing the cabinetry to pop. A stone-look gray porcelain tile sets the foundation of the room, and a light natural stone mosaic adds subtle pattern on the range wall, installed all the way to the ceiling. The white quartz countertop in a soft “brushed” finish mixes in harmoniously.
To visually anchor either side of the range wall, we designed deeper wall-to-counter cabinets to sit on the countertop. A single wall cabinet bridges to the refrigerator panel, creating a sweet nook for cookbooks or a coffee machine.
The corner cabinet’s presence is highlighted with a reeded glass center panel, which gently obscures the contents inside. A simple wooden mullion on top of the glass is a lovely and delicate detail.
The Wolf range and chimney hood demand symmetry, centered in between two windows on the back wall of the kitchen, where the natural stone mosaic adds lovely texture and pattern. The homeowners nod to the iconic red of the range’s knobs with a playful pom-pom trim on the kitchen’s window treatments.
Making use of every last inch, we tucked narrow spice pullouts left and right of the range. The fluted detail from the overlay panels at the sink is added here for consistency.
Outside of the kitchen’s main U-shape, we utilized a fourth wall for a tall pantry cabinet, secondary wall oven, pullout organizer and an undercounter beverage fridge. The additional countertop surface is perfect for entertaining, allowing the homeowners to set out food or set up a self-service bar.
The same reeded glass and wood mullion details from the kitchen cabinets are carried to the bar area for a sparkly display of coffee mugs and barware. The bar is an easy distance from the seating at the peninsula.
Accessories, accessories! We designed the cabinets with functional accessories in mind, like a knife block and utensils divider built into drawers, and a LeMans pullout for both of the blind corner cabinets flanking the range. The pullout mechanism makes use of space in the corners of the kitchen for larger items like pots and pans.
This was such a fun palette to bring together! Allowing the cabinetry to play a bold role in the kitchen while keeping other elements bright, light, sparkly and shiny helps the space to feel rich and stately but fresh and new at the same time.
We are so thrilled with how this project came together, and it was a pleasure collaborating with the teams at J. Bradley Architects and Suburban Construction to make it happen! We hope our wonderful clients and their family enjoy the kitchen for many years to come.
Take a walk-through tour with our designer Jenni Jacobs!
If you would like to see what this space looked like before the remodel, please check out our Before and After Gallery, and check out our full photo gallery for this project on our profile at Houzz.
