Completed Kitchen (2009)
Here's a composite picture of our completed kitchen, restored to a 1920's look. Retoring it to the original 1897 kitchen would have been too much of a hardship. In 1897 there would have been only a zinc cold-water sink in the left corner, a prep table in the middle of the room, and one hutch along the wall. By the 1920s, kitchens were beginning to look more like what we're used to today. Stainless steel was a common counter top, prized for its easy maintenance and cleanliness.
The marble-topped farm table in the middle of the room acts as both a prep island and an eating area. The lower cabinets hold pots and pans. The upper cabinets hold cooking supplies (including mixing bowls). All of our dishware and glasses reside in the panty (just around the corner). The long counter, supplemented by the table, gives us plenty of room for cooking. The corner sink saves us from having run to the pantry.
We continue to refine the details of our kitchen. Where Frieda is sleeping in this photo, we're thinking of putting a window seat. But, then, we don't know where we'd put Frieda.
We found this piece of wrought iron at a salvage warehouse. It fit perfectly in the space where we removed half the flue.
Below, leaded glass window placed for privacy. This window looks onto the sidewalk and a busy street. Curtains would have made it too dark. A vintage window like this adds design interest and a bit of class.
This window was relatively cheap to buy because it had a lot of damage. But it was very expensive to repair. So we learned our lesson: buy leaded and stained glass that is ready to hang. Otherwise, you may end up paying more for the window's repairs than the window itself.
The arch over the middle cabinet is a transom window that we cut down to fit. We put light behind it to give it more appeal. The center cabinet, much shallower than its neighbors, holds spices. When the spices were on open shelves, they got dirty fast and we got tired of cleaning them
We also changed the hardware--from a deco chrome to an older-look: cast iron bin pulls
To facilitate communication in our sometimes hectic household, we put up an old chalboard on the door to basement (adjacent to the fridge). It really helps.
Final shots show a before and after--the first thing you see as you turn into the kitchen then and now.
