Green Cabinets and Bold Tile for a Remodeled 1920 Kitchen
A designer blends classic details with bold elements to create a striking kitchen in a century-old Houston home
The chance to bring a 1920 house in a historic neighborhood of Houston back to life excited the homeowners even though the challenge was steep. The original 1,500-square-foot house they recently bought had seen better days, but the location was ideal and the exterior’s charm was undeniable. They reached out to designer Victoria Sheffield and M Architecture to undertake a major remodel that more than doubled the size of the house. The hub of the home is the new kitchen, which blends historic character, bold color and an ideal layout for a couple who love to cook and entertain family and friends.
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Before: The general location of the kitchen is the only thing that stayed the same in the remodel. The design team removed original exposed wood lath walls covered in white paint to expand the footprint.
“The appliances, countertops and cabinets had been swapped out over the years,” Sheffield says. “There wasn’t really anything worth salvaging.”
“The appliances, countertops and cabinets had been swapped out over the years,” Sheffield says. “There wasn’t really anything worth salvaging.”
After: The bold design elements didn’t end with the cabinets. Sheffield also covered the walls in 8-by-8-inch porcelain tiles in white featuring an alternating pattern in light and dark gray. “The tile draws the eye up to the nearly 12-foot-tall ceiling and provides a user-friendly backdrop,” the designer says.
Sheffield paired the tiled wall with Fantasy brown marble countertops that feature cream and taupe swirls. “The marble was a bit of a splurge,” she says. “I showed them different engineered quartz options, but they were adamant that we use real stone.”
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Sheffield paired the tiled wall with Fantasy brown marble countertops that feature cream and taupe swirls. “The marble was a bit of a splurge,” she says. “I showed them different engineered quartz options, but they were adamant that we use real stone.”
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To keep with the historic character of the home, Sheffield added a white farmhouse sink paired with a matte black faucet. The open shelves above the sink provide easy access to cookbooks.
The upper cabinets have glass-front doors that keep the room from feeling too heavy. Integrated lights in the cabinets add a warm glow in the evening.
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The upper cabinets have glass-front doors that keep the room from feeling too heavy. Integrated lights in the cabinets add a warm glow in the evening.
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A custom wood-paneled range hood adds another classic touch above the 48-inch six-burner gas range. “Both of the homeowners love to cook, so creating a range wall with lots of space for them to work was important,” Sheffield says.
A wine refrigerator and a microwave drawer are located in the island.
A wine refrigerator and a microwave drawer are located in the island.
Oil-rubbed-bronze task-style wall sconces above the floating shelves provide ambient lighting and pair well with the matte black cabinet hardware.
A pair of exposed-bulb light fixtures above the island are reminiscent of upside-down mason jars, another nod to the home’s history.
A pair of exposed-bulb light fixtures above the island are reminiscent of upside-down mason jars, another nod to the home’s history.
Four contemporary counter stools make for cozy perches at the island. “The kitchen island has become the family hangout,” Sheffield says. “They tell me that one of their grandsons comes over all the time and does his homework there.”
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Read more stories about kitchen design and remodeling
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More on Houzz
Read more stories about kitchen design and remodeling
Find an interior designer near you
Shop for kitchen counter stools
Kitchen at a Glance
Who lives here: A pair of empty nesters with three adult children and many grandchildren
Location: Houston
Size: 290 square feet (27 square meters)
Designers: Victoria Sheffield and M Architecture
Painted cabinets in a bold hue were the top request for these homeowners, Sheffield says. “They love color and didn’t want to be shy when it came time to choose one for the cabinets.” The color they selected, Benjamin Moore’s Dragonfly, is a blue-green shade that changes tone depending on the time of the day.