Kitchen of the Week: Historic Queen Anne Renovation
Reclaimed 120-year-old shelving, soft materials and space-saving storage turned this outdated kitchen into a beautiful, functional space
Homeowner and architect Geoffrey Gainer of Actual Size Architecture lives in a Queen Anne in San Francisco's Mission district. While renovating the kitchen, he didn't like the idea of trying to hide new appliances behind wood paneling, but he also didn't want to design a modern space that would jar with the rest of the house. See how he solved this design dilemma by using materials that would show gentle wear over time.
The open cabinets are a great solution to the lack of light in the kitchen. Because this a historic home, Gainer couldn't expand the windows or move them. The floating glass cabinetry allows the light to filter through the entire kitchen. Gainer bought knobs at Ikea and sanded and painted them for a high-end look.
"Two sinks make for a good marriage. It's seriously worth the extra couple thousand dollars," says Gainer. He and his wife knew that it'd be hard for both to find room at the range too, so they found a set of two electric burners at a garage sale and installed them under the window facing the porch.
Cabinetry and shelving: custom by David Brunjes; cabinetry finishing: Ciarlo Brothers
"Two sinks make for a good marriage. It's seriously worth the extra couple thousand dollars," says Gainer. He and his wife knew that it'd be hard for both to find room at the range too, so they found a set of two electric burners at a garage sale and installed them under the window facing the porch.
Cabinetry and shelving: custom by David Brunjes; cabinetry finishing: Ciarlo Brothers
The lower cabinetry was kept open to make accessing everyday items easy. The kitchen island is open to the dining room, but Gainer didn't want his guests to see a kitchen mess while eating, so he wired the kitchen lights and dining lights separately. At night, when the kitchen lights are off, the space feels completely separate.
Countertop: Richlite; refrigerator: GE Profile; range: Viking; hood: Stack, Rangecraft
Countertop: Richlite; refrigerator: GE Profile; range: Viking; hood: Stack, Rangecraft
The space-saving island design is Gainer's favorite thing about the kitchen. The top drawer is a knife rack and the third drawer has a pot-lid rack with adjustable steel rods, which he designed. The space between the sink and the cabinet walls was just big enough for Gainer to put in a drawer for tall bottles of olive oil and other cooking essentials. The apron front of the sink is actually a tilt-out tray to keep items handy, and there's a custom swing-out trash can for easy cleanup.
Gainer and his wife have two young daughters, so kid friendliness was important. "Keeping them on stools at the counter is far easier than trying to monitor the mess at the table, and they like it better there too," he says.
Oven: Miele; wall sink: Elkay; faucets: Chicago
More: How to Remodel Your Kitchen | More Kitchens of the Week
Oven: Miele; wall sink: Elkay; faucets: Chicago
More: How to Remodel Your Kitchen | More Kitchens of the Week
Gainer found the antique chandelier and made two kitchen pendants to match. Found parts from Ohmega Salvage and the hardware store help tie the kitchen and dining area together. The large steel post in front of the island serves as a structural support beam in the ceiling and acts as a conduit for the shelf lights' wiring.
Metalwork: Wendell Jones; sheet metal (except hood): stainless steel, Pacific Coast Stainless