We love when an existing client keeps us in mind when their next project pops up, just like this couple whom we had the pleasure of helping renovate their home in Reading. This time, they enlisted our help to create a more functional kitchen layout for their secondary residence (and future retirement home) in Gloucester. The house sits up high with beautiful water views. It has a lovely, calming presence, perfect for rest and relaxation.

The homeowners were looking to expand the existing kitchen, which was small and closed off, and capitalize on a redundant breakfast room. Our team took down the partitioned wall, adding more prep space to create a functional cooking area. The cook of the family requested ample workspace and storage, including a pull-out spice drawer. The Sub-Zero and Wolf appliances, which the clients also have in their primary home, complemented their cooking style. On the opposite side of the kitchen, the Classic Sub-Zero and Wolf Refrigeration integrated seamlessly, clad in custom cabinetry paneling to match the adjacent pantry cabinets.

Style-wise, the kitchen’s blue and white color scheme is a subtle nod to nautical without being too over-the-top. The reclaimed exposed beams were original to the home; however, some had been painted by a previous owner, while others remained unfinished. While stripping all the beams of paint wasn't an option, repainting them with an earthy tone reminiscent of stained wood turned out to be the perfect solution. Throughout the first floor, our team installed new floors and together we chose engineered wood for its durability during weather changes, since this home is by the beach. In the old kitchen, the brick chimney was partially covered; we chose to leave it exposed, complementing it with floating shelves to keep the brick visible while also gaining storage.

In the primary bathroom, the homeowners were looking to reconfigure to gain more function and space. Eliminating one of the two seldom used linen closets in the bathroom allowed us to relocate the vanity onto the opposite wall. This not only provided new unobstructed access to the shower, but also allowed for better storage and countertop space. With one layout adjustment, the existing location of both shower and toilet now made sense.

We wish our clients many happy years in their beautiful home and are happy to have helped with this project.