About This Project

Dorchester Kitchen Transformation

In this older Victorian style home situated in Boston’s Dorchester neighborhood, our challenge was to completely transform the dated kitchen, modernizing it to meet current styles and standards while blending with its authentic charm.

In its original layout, the kitchen design was limited by space and multiple doorways. Approaching the floor plan from a top-down view, our design & build team mapped out a plan to reconfigure the entire layout that involved taking down two walls, one to a back staircase and entry and the other which had been a pantry wall. We also removed an unused chimney from the home entirely. 

The original home was heated by radiators, which we removed in order to upgrade to a more functional and unobtrusive radiant flooring system. By removing the chimney and two walls and installing radiant heated floors, we were able to open up substantially more space in the floor plan to accommodate a custom, fully functional kitchen. Developing a renovation plan like this that considered multiple design and construction variables was only made possible by close coordination between our design and construction teams. 

The newly designed kitchen allowed for an island with a prep sink and seating for four that invites conversation and inclusion in activities with friends and family while preparing meals. An elegant custom range hood by Raw Urth Designs serves as a striking focal point, bringing a level of sophistication to the everyday cooking experience. In a formerly-unused corner next to the refrigerator, we created a built-in service area for entertaining, enhancing the flow and utility of this centrally-located space between the kitchen and living areas. 

In a home with as much history and character as this one, we put a special emphasis on design that complemented its unique style and incorporated original elements where possible. While replacing windows in the kitchen for improved efficiency, we used casements to allow them to easily open while still retaining the exterior look of authentic double-hung windows. The original kitchen also had a beautiful old built-in hutch in the pantry which we kept in place and refurbished for improved functionality, incorporating lighting and patterned wallpaper behind the shelves to level up the styling. The rich brown wood of the hutch and an original spice rack inspired our selection of walnut cabinetry for the new kitchen island and complementing wood flooring. The finished kitchen is a seamless integration of Victorian style and modern functionality.