A B&B Kitchen Morphs Into a Bright Family Hangout
A large central island, clever storage and a white-and-wood palette renew this Kansas City space
Before. The former kitchen had its charms. But it wasn’t the full kitchen one expects in a single-family home. It had only a small undercounter refrigerator and two tiny sinks, with no place to sit and eat.
Although the homeowners wanted to preserve the home’s original features, Rishel persuaded them to make one structural change: removing the butler’s pantry that separated the dining room from the kitchen. Now that it’s gone, “guests can enter the big, bright kitchen from the gorgeous dining room,” she says. The change also freed up enough space to add a large central island with seating.
A section of the former butler’s pantry is now a bar area with an ice maker and a wine refrigerator below an antiqued-glass backsplash. To the right of the bar is a tall cabinet that houses a coffee station.
A section of the former butler’s pantry is now a bar area with an ice maker and a wine refrigerator below an antiqued-glass backsplash. To the right of the bar is a tall cabinet that houses a coffee station.
The coffee station includes a coffee maker, bean grinder and shelves for mugs and teapots. The custom cabinetry is a European frameless style they designed to look more traditional with moldings and details, Rishel says.
Browse coffee grinders
Browse coffee grinders
The pendant lights above the island have a black enamel finish. The island base is natural walnut with a white quartz countertop with gray veining from Cambria. The designer removed the old tile floors to reveal original oak, which she refinished.
The island holds two dishwashers, which comes in handy when the homeowners entertain. The ivory leather bar stools are from Grandin Road.
Rishel made white subway tile from Walker Zanger a prominent feature in the kitchen. The classic tile covers the backsplash, wainscoting and range hood. “It’s so gorgeous, and even glamorous in a way,” she says.
The range area is bracketed with table-like legs to give the working areas of the kitchen the feel of stand-alone furniture. The outer cabinet countertops are a solid gray quartz, also from Cambria.
The range area is bracketed with table-like legs to give the working areas of the kitchen the feel of stand-alone furniture. The outer cabinet countertops are a solid gray quartz, also from Cambria.
The tile extends into the mudroom off the kitchen near the back door. “The concept behind the tile was to recall the kitchens found in old Newport [Rhode Island] mansions,” Rishel says. “They were utilitarian spaces where tile was used extensively because it could be washed down so easily. The tile also fits well within the aesthetic of the 1907 home.”
The mudroom cabinets are made of quarter-sawn oak with a natural finish.
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The mudroom cabinets are made of quarter-sawn oak with a natural finish.
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4 Dreamy White-and-Wood Kitchens to Learn From
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Kitchen at a Glance
Who lives here: A couple with one small child
Location: Kansas City, Missouri
Size: About 400 square feet (37.2 square meters)
Designer: Elizabeth Rishel of Orion Design
A young couple purchased this lovely older home and former bed-and-breakfast in Kansas City, Missouri, knowing that it would be a great place to raise their child. However, to make the original kitchen more functional for family life, a few changes had to be made. The old kitchen had been used only to prepare breakfast for guests and did not include an area for eating meals.
Creating enough space to fit a large central island was at the top of the homeowners’ wish list, but doing so without blowing up their budget was key. This meant the kitchen’s layout would need to remain the same. “It really was a puzzle figuring how to work with four doorways and three windows,” designer Elizabeth Rishel says.