View from Dining

A Kitchen with a Surprise Space

By on October 1, 2015 in Kitchens
  • Passthrough
    The pass-through allows guests to chat with folks in the kitchen and further enlarges the space. We tucked a wine fridge into the dead corner. (The kitchen was too small for a lazy Susan.)
  • Reverse View
  • Reverse into Kitchen
    After we removed an old chimney, we were able to "cathedral" the ceiling make the room more spacious. We used 1x6 fir rafter ties to support the roof.
  • View from Dining
    Taking down the walls between the existing kitchen and the pantry/entry let us open up the kitchen for more space and light.
  • Small Light Box
    We crafted "uplight boxes" to bounce light off the ceiling. All the fir was custom color-matched to the cabinets.
  • Floor Mat
    What a great idea!
  • Before: Kitchen
    This was the original contractor's "flip" kitchen.
  • Roof Framing
    Rafter ties and strapping in place, awaiting insulation.
  • Before: Back Door
    Original back door before we took down the walls.

The kitchen of this 1880s farmhouse was a mishmash of small spaces and additions. The initial plan called for removing walls to open up the space. During demo, the client looked up and said, “Can we capture the space in the ceiling too?” Sure we could! All it took was a few collar ties, light boxes to bounce light into the vault, and a chase to corral all the pipes for the bathroom above.  The final result: a light airy space with plenty of room for cooking and socializing in style.