Four arches make over this 1925 kitchen

Sunset, Oct, 1991

A SINGLE ARCH separating the kitchen and breakfast area in this vintage 1925 San Francisco townhouse inspired a multipurpose makeover.

The new owner, designer Ramsey Metcalf-Schow, wanted to make the long, narrow space attractive and workable for entertaining. The solution was to divide by three: the cooking area still occupies one end, but a new banquette fills the opposite end and a buffet area defines the space in between.

Picking up on the arch motif helped integrate the three-part room. With architect Henry Siegel of Emeryville, California, Metcalf-Schow used four arches to frame the square center space and visually separate the three areas. The arches rise above crisply detailed Tuscan columns with plenty of built-in storage under them.

Red oak floors used throughout the house continue into the kitchen. Siegel used the same wood for cabinetry, giving built-ins the look of fine furniture.