February 7, 2020

With all the detail and architectural features prominent in a colonial house, it can be a stretch to imagine a modern design in its place. Designer Michele Alfano of Hudson Valley, N.Y.-based Hudson Valley Interior Design was hired to do just that – create a warm but modern experience out of a kitchen with low ceilings, uneven exterior walls and an overall closed-in design.

“The client wanted to renovate her existing kitchen and make it feel more open, since she loves to entertain family and friends,” said Alfano, explaining that the existing kitchen felt dark, old and claustrophobic.

Creating an Overall Look

The original floor plan was U-shaped, with a peninsula separating it from the breakfast room. Alfano’s new design took down walls and enlarged the kitchen to incorporate a large island and a bar area for entertaining. The floor plan is now a great room, and the fireplace can be seen from the kitchen. This original brick fireplace was then replaced with a modern one framed by dark stone – a feature that would be echoed in the kitchen.

“I didn’t want to design the kitchen in isolation; I wanted to blur the lines of the kitchen/breakfast area and the family living room,” said the designer.

One feature she added to accomplish this was a stepped ceiling over the entire great room. This modern detail adds depth, connects the spaces and makes the area feel larger than it is. New porcelain floors were installed throughout to emphasize the connection among the spaces.

Warm Modernity

The kitchen’s new plank-style floors and white ceiling needed to be warmed up to meet the client’s requirements, so Alfano chose furniture-like cabinetry with dark tones and clean, modern lines.

“I chose a European-style cabinetry with two types of woods: a bespoke modern, flat black and a natural walnut wood veneer,” she said, adding that the painted cabinetry was used on the uppers, and the wood is on the lower cabinets. “Warmth and personality come out with this cabinetry combination.”

This furniture-like look is further established with black wood frames that surround the upper and lower cabinetry. The frames seem to blend in with the countertop, which echoes some of the stone used on the fireplace.

This dark honed countertop has light gray veining and gold undertones, which complement the porcelain tile floor and the black-painted and natural wood combination of cabinetry. This mix of materials is highlighted on the island, which is broken into two levels. The higher stone countertop is used to prep and cook, while the lower wood counter asymmetrically wraps around the island.

“The multi-tiered island strategically places the guests in front of the hostess, so she can chat with them while she is prepping and cooking,” said Alfano, explaining that the wood counter doubles as a breakfast area, and a nearby bar makes it easier to serve cocktails.

For the modern look she wanted on the cabinetry, Alfano integrated brushed-nickel hardware in between the drawers and reveals under the stone.

“The absence of handles creates a soothing symmetry and dimension that unites the design,” she said.

Overcoming the Trials

Turning this traditional kitchen into a modern space had its challenges. Since the exterior walls were not totally straight, tiling the custom 2-in. by 12-in. porcelain tiles on the backsplash was difficult and resulted in uneven areas and large grout spacing.

“I was unhappy with how it looked and had the entire wall demolished and redone,” said Alfano. “The next crew had difficulty as well with the long, stacked tile design and jagged walls, but with some additional labor the end result looks amazing.”

Delays were another issue for this project. The cabinet manufacturer had problems with the wood coloring and was not releasing the cabinets until it met certain standards, which delayed the timeline of the project for an entire month. According to the designer, it was this challenge that felt most out of her control, and it was difficult to have patience.

“As the designer, it is my job to communicate to the client what is happening and try to meet their high expectations,” said Alfano, explaining that fortunately her patience paid off and the resulting cabinets worked well in the space. “In the end, the kitchen is a stunner, and I was honored to make her dream become a reality.”