Kitchen of the Week: What’s Old Is New Again in Texas
A fresh update brings back a 1920s kitchen’s original cottage style
Becky Harris
April 1, 2016
Houzz Contributor. Hi there! I live in a 1940s cottage in Atlanta that I'll describe as "collected."
I got into design via Landscape Architecture, which I studied at the University of Virginia.
Houzz Contributor. Hi there! I live in a 1940s cottage in Atlanta that I'll describe... More
This 1920s classic cottage had many charms, but unfortunately there weren’t many traces of them left in the kitchen. The homeowners wanted to maintain the historic style of their house but also wanted something that felt more up to date. In addition, they liked the efficiency of the modestly sized room and didn’t want to expand it. Interior designer Julie Bradshaw had her work cut out for her, but by taking advantage of every inch and using all of the room’s available assets, she created a fresh, bright space that honors the home.
Photos by jennifer siu-rivera photography
Kitchen at a Glance
Who lives here: A couple and their daughter
Location: Historic district of Monte Vista in San Antonio, Texas
Size: 144 square feet (13 square meters)
Designer: Julie Bradshaw of Bradshaw Designs
BEFORE: The kitchen was dark and cramped, and the refrigerator was a hindrance in more ways than one (We’ll get to that in a minute.) The historic home had maintained many of its vintage traits, but most of the charm in the kitchen had been covered up by previous renovations.
Kitchen at a Glance
Who lives here: A couple and their daughter
Location: Historic district of Monte Vista in San Antonio, Texas
Size: 144 square feet (13 square meters)
Designer: Julie Bradshaw of Bradshaw Designs
BEFORE: The kitchen was dark and cramped, and the refrigerator was a hindrance in more ways than one (We’ll get to that in a minute.) The historic home had maintained many of its vintage traits, but most of the charm in the kitchen had been covered up by previous renovations.
Designer Julie Bradshaw replaced the refrigerator with a 30-inch Sub-Zero model with panels that match the rest of the cabinetry. “In a small kitchen, every inch counts,” she says. “This family didn’t need the standard 36-inch refrigerator because they buy fresh and don’t need a lot of storage space.” (Having trouble finding the refrigerator in this photo? I did. It’s in the foreground on the left.)
With the bulky appliance out of the way, Bradshaw got clever with the layout. She changed the typical galley space into a T-shaped layout, ending the counters so she could extend a row of cabinets across the back of the room. This gave the tight kitchen some breathing space and a more expansive feeling. The cabinets along the back are used for pantry storage and the one on the left includes a coffee bar.
With the bulky appliance out of the way, Bradshaw got clever with the layout. She changed the typical galley space into a T-shaped layout, ending the counters so she could extend a row of cabinets across the back of the room. This gave the tight kitchen some breathing space and a more expansive feeling. The cabinets along the back are used for pantry storage and the one on the left includes a coffee bar.
One of the original charms survived the renovation — the sweet hex floor tiles with gold accent florets were in excellent condition. After a good cleaning of the grout and tiles, the porcelain floor is back to its former glory.
Bradshaw selected antiqued brass for the finishes not only because it works well with the gold in the floor, but also because it appears in hardware throughout the house. Brass woven-wire grilles on some of the cabinet fronts extend the accent under the sink and to some of the upper cabinets.
Bradshaw selected antiqued brass for the finishes not only because it works well with the gold in the floor, but also because it appears in hardware throughout the house. Brass woven-wire grilles on some of the cabinet fronts extend the accent under the sink and to some of the upper cabinets.
Antiqued brass pops up on the light fixtures and vent hood as well.
Light fixtures: Circa Lighting; hood: custom, Vent-A-Hood
Light fixtures: Circa Lighting; hood: custom, Vent-A-Hood
Before the remodel, the sink was awkwardly low. To solve this, Bradshaw moved the window up a bit and added an apron-front farmhouse sink.
Sink: Rohl
Sink: Rohl
BEFORE: The original refrigerator was not only blocking the flow, it was blocking a window.
On the first walk-through, Bradshaw had no idea the window on the right existed. She went back to the office and drew up her preliminary designs. When she returned to the site, she noticed the window from the outside and said, “Wait a minute … ” As fate would have it, the existing window worked into the design perfectly. The extra natural light and view are a big bonus at the end of the room.
The walnut counters in this portion of the kitchen add another period touch and contrast with the Calacatta marble on the other counters. Choosing a handmade subway tile added subtle texture. “Extending the subway tile all the way up to the ceiling looks more modern than the typical 18-inch backsplash,” the designer says. “At the same time, it hearkens back to an old scullery kitchen.”
Calacatta marble: Delta Granite and Marble
The walnut counters in this portion of the kitchen add another period touch and contrast with the Calacatta marble on the other counters. Choosing a handmade subway tile added subtle texture. “Extending the subway tile all the way up to the ceiling looks more modern than the typical 18-inch backsplash,” the designer says. “At the same time, it hearkens back to an old scullery kitchen.”
Calacatta marble: Delta Granite and Marble
Another clever detail swiped from elsewhere in the house shows up on the cabinet panels. The detailing mimics the style of the panels on doors seen throughout the home. Feet on the bottom of the cabinets also nod to the era. On this side of the room, the panel fronts conceal a pullout trash bin and the dishwasher.
Freshened up, the home works for the family’s modern lifestyle but also looks like it’s always been here. “Now this kitchen really feels like it’s a part of the home,” Bradshaw says.
Contractor: CROSS
Browse more Kitchens of the Week
Freshened up, the home works for the family’s modern lifestyle but also looks like it’s always been here. “Now this kitchen really feels like it’s a part of the home,” Bradshaw says.
Contractor: CROSS
Browse more Kitchens of the Week
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Very nice details add to this white kitchen !
amazing that the hex floors were in great shape. So happy you kept them and incorporated the brass accents. Lovely!
beautiful! D. Shannon www.luminosodesign.com