Kitchen of the Week: Modern Updated Version for Historic Farmhouse Kitchen

It is ironic: farmhouse kitchens from the mid-19th century often require major renovations to achieve the farmhouse style that is so popular today. This happens because kitchens from the 1850s were often small, dark, strictly functional, and not very convenient for modern life, as they preceded electrification by 50 years or more. Also, previous renovations of these kitchens were often done many years ago and did not align with contemporary farmhouse style.

Owners of this kitchen in Massachusetts were ready to update their 19th-century farmhouse kitchen to better suit their family's lifestyle, but they did not want to lose the historic charm of the home. "The homeowner has impeccable taste, and she really led the design," says designer Nina Arshobolt. One of the elements of the large-scale renovation was moving the kitchen and opening it up to the dining room and family room. Traditional elements such as Shaker cabinets and a painted ceiling beam keep the farmhouse vibe, but are balanced with modern elements such as horizontal planks and floating shelves.

Photo by Crown Point Cabinetry

Kitchen at a glance
Who lives here: A young family
Location: Outside Boston
Square footage: 225 sq ft (21 sq m)
Designer: Nina Arshobolt from Crown Point Cabinetry

"The previous kitchen was very old and faded," says Arshobolt, who significantly helped the homeowner with cabinet, countertop, and shelf projects, working from architect Marshall MacLean's plans. Previously, the kitchen was in the center of the room plan; after renovation, it was moved to the edge of the house and opened up to other rooms. The hand-finished new white oak boards give them a rustic, unfinished look. This harmonizes well with the other floors.

On this photo, you can see the dining room in front. The renovation included a small expansion of the building to the left of the house, where the sink is located. A large table in the center makes the U-shaped kitchen functional for this busy family.

Cabinets: Crown Point Cabinetry; cabinet paint: Dove Tale, Farrow & Ball

The homeowners have a large collection of copper kettles that they often use, and they wanted a place to store them close by so they could also enjoy them. "In the previous house, they all hung on pot hooks, but it was better to leave things more open here and not block the view from the room," says Arshobolt. A long slate shelf under the table is perfect for this purpose.

The table with restored wood provides a balanced contrast to the elegant marble countertops and windowsill. This also adds plenty of farmhouse style to the room.

Unlacquered brass fixtures, faucets, and wall sconces add a warm antique character. Traditional handles, turn locks, and pull-out handles accentuate the cabinets and will age with time.

Well-balanced placement of floating shelves and upper cabinets creates a light, open look. "I always have a serious conversation with clients before making this decision," says Arshobolt. "You must be really comfortable with your things being constantly visible and not always looking like they're from Photoshop." This wasn't a problem for this homeowner, as she has a relaxed style and wants to enjoy her things. They experimented with various options but decided that clean lines of floating shelves without brackets work best. The shelves also blend perfectly with the horizontal boards on the walls. "She really wanted to include some modern elements while maintaining a connection to the roots of farmhouse style," says Arshobolt.

To compensate for lost space, base cabinets work at maximum efficiency. "We used every inch of space very effectively," says Arshobolt. "In these cabinets, all kinds of technology is happening." For example, some drawers are equipped with plate hooks. Inserts include adjustable shelves for spices and oils, rotating and magic corner drawers at blind angles, and more.

One of the few upper cabinets is a pantry inspired by English country style and looking like free-standing furniture. "This is a variation of a typical pantry," says Arshobolt. Tall cabinets with double doors contain a coffee and tea station, blender, toaster, and small microwave oven. All electrical outlets are inside the pantry.

Shelf doors are glass on both sides of the two double windows above the sink.

Not only the cabinet doors are glass, but the side walls are too. This allows light from the window to pass through them completely.

Tip: Don't overlook the design potential inside cabinets. The interiors of these cabinets are painted in a beautiful pale blue color.

In addition to built-in lights and large pendant lights above the table, brass wall sconces add a touch of modern mid-century spirit. Although built-in lights are great for lighting the whole room during serious kitchen work, sconces are a perfect way to add ambiance at night. And searching for a snack while watching a movie doesn't cause pupil dilation.

Pendant lights Hicks and wall sconces match the unlacquered brass fixtures, which will age with time. The new kitchen looks as if it's evolving over time.

Pendant Light Hicks: Circa Lighting

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