They moved, opened up, and reorganized the kitchen

Sunset, Jan, 1988

They moved, opened up, and reorganized the kitchen

An opened-up ceiling and a new counter configuration give this kitchen a more spacious feel and greater efficiency. Originally, the space consisted of two rooms: the kitchen itself and a breakfast nook. The kitchen faced the house's driveway, and the nook monopolized a window onto the attractive back garden.

Owners Darcy and Ford Griswold reversed their positions and combined the two rooms into one. Putting the new kitchen where the old nook had been, they enlarged the view window and organized the kitchen around it. A new peninsula divides the room into two distinct spaces: the kitchen and a sitting area, where a new built-in window seat lies along the driveway-side wall.

Many of the old cabinets had been so high that they were virtually impossible to use, so the Griswolds made sure that those around the new, U-shaped work center were more accessible.

The owners also added a half-bath and a short hallway that opens to the back garden, as pictured at center right. William S. Rehlich and Marilyn Woods helped with the design.

Photo: Soaring, open look and feel of new kitchen come from exposed structural beams, peaked ceiling, and partition cabinets. Work arew with raised dining counter divides kitchen proper from informal seating area with built-in bookcases (below)

Photo: Telescoping gables mark stages: dining room end of house (right), remodeled kitchen, new half-bath, and petite portico