A dinner party in a newly remodeled kitchen is the perfect way to celebrate its completion. What began as a galley kitchen with a breakfast nook is now a spectacular cooking and dining space, brought to life by Ida McConnell, certified kitchen designer and owner of Cuvée Kitchen Designs, Inc.

The luminous redesign is rooted in McConnell’s philosophy of “creat[ing] a welcoming, enticing, pleasing, and functional environment. A space that creates a positive visceral reaction, one in which you want to linger and a place to enjoy while performing the tasks at hand. Where form not only follows function, they are one and the same.”

Forming a Gathering Space

An inviting island seats five and is equipped with refrigeration drawers, keeping fruit and vegetables close at hand, making prep a breeze.

The room’s focal point is the incredible stove hood, custom-detailed by a local metalsmith and flanked by arched windows. The view to the backyard invites the outdoors in, and the rounded shapes create continuity with arched architectural details on the home’s front porch. Phillip Wentzel Custom Homes was the contractor for the project.

Another showstopper? The beverage center, featuring a glass-front, built-in True refrigerator, custom painted and detailed to blend into the cabinetry. Its open facade beckons guests to gather and select a tasty, chilled drink. A HydroTap by ZipWater dispenses filtered water, carbonated water, and hot water for easy drink making. The pop of striped wallpaper draws attention without disrupting the flow

The kitchen also features a custom coffee bar with a built-in pot filler. The barista station lives inside a tall cabinet with retractable doors that neatly hide the area when it is not in use.

Rutt HandCrafted Custom Cabinetry, supplied by Cuvée Kitchen Designs, creates seamless transitions between the appliances and storage. For example, the refrigerator and freezer are paneled to appear “more like an armoire piece” says McConnell. Glass-front cabinets throughout are ideal for displaying beautiful dishes.

To craft a refreshing color palette, McConnell combined Benjamin Moore Decorator’s White and Hale Navy paints, Oxford Brown-stained walnut wood cabinetry finishes, and Primo Marble & Granite Quartzite and honed-white Tropicalia countertops.

Hidden Surprises

By expanding the kitchen’s footprint, McConnell was able to add a hidden, walk-in pantry, expertly concealed with French doors that complement the cabinets. A step inside reveals an extensive preparation area outfitted with an ice maker, plenty of counter space, shelving, a second dishwasher, and an abundance of storage. Additionally, McConnell designed a new, functional, walk-through butler’s pantry that is in harmony with the home’s age and details.

Extensive space planning and organizational elements rounded out the project, including dividers for utensils, a knife drawer, and an array of hidden organizational features. Prior to move-in, “We walked through every drawer, every cabinet so [that] everything just flowed beautifully,” she says.

What better way to celebrate the finished product than a dinner party? Kimberley Haugh of Kimberley Ashlee Catering created a sumptuous dinner menu, complete with wine pairings selected by her husband, Josh Haugh. The multicourse menu was served on traditional dinnerware in colors that perfectly complement McConnell’s design. Cheers!

The Menu, Kimberly Haugh of Kimberley Ashlee Catering

Shrimp Toast with Chili Aioli

Butter Tarragon-Roasted Monkfish with Carrot Purée, Finished with Watercress

Sautéed Italian Greens & Radicchio with Pecorino

Individual Truffled Chicken Pot Pies

Apple Custard with Spiced Apples & Pecans

The Wine Pairings

Waterbrook Sauvignon Blanc 2020

Beautiful and crisp with notes of honeydew and apricot

Schug Pinot Noir 2020

Light and bright with notes of red cherries, raspberries, and spice

Appliances Sourced from Don’s Appliances

BlueStar 48” RNB Series Range with 12” Griddle

Best Built-In Hood PK22 Series

BlueStar 30” Electric Wall Oven with French Doors

True 30” Beverage Column with Stainless Glass Door

Cove Dishwasher DW2450

Sharp Microwave Drawer

U-Line 15” Nugget Ice Machine

XO Beverage Center Refrigerator

Fisher & Paykel Integrated Double DishDrawer Dishwasher

Sub-Zero 30” Designer Over-and-Under Refrigerator and Freezer with Ice Maker

Story by Nicole Barley / Photography by Dave Bryce

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When Nathan and Kathy Anderson were in the market for a new house, they found a well-preserved, circa-1900 home that was ideal for their family. Well, almost. The small, split-up kitchen was nearly a dealbreaker. But with the expert help of Jan and David Horner of Drury Cabinetry, they were able to create something they loved. 

From Small to Expansive

The kitchen in the Anderson’s old home had been typically modern—large, with an island and plenty of cabinet and counter space. The new home featured a small cook’s kitchen with little of either of those. “When we first came to look at the house, I just didn’t understand. It was way in the back of the house and the butler’s pantry was in a different area than the main kitchen. And then there was another pantry in the back,“ says Nathan. 

From census records, Nathan and Kathy discovered the original home had had a housekeeper and two or three other servants living there. It was, of course, not meant for use by the family who originally owned the house. “We are not living the 1900s luxury lifestyle, we are cooking for ourselves and our five daughters. We don’t have any servants!” 

The Andersons are only the third family to occupy the house, but over the years the kitchen had accumulated a few unfortunate “updates,” including bright fluorescent lighting. It required a lot of work, and the couple wanted to retain and restore the mood of the original, a process which included using materials and colors appropriate to the time of its construction. (It also meant eschewing modern creations like engineered countertops.) “I wanted raw brass,” says Kathy. “I also wanted real marble, even though people tried to talk me out of it because of wear issues. But, to me, the scratches and the discolorations that inevitably happen are just part of the age of the house and the stories of the family that lives there.”  

Tying Moments into Design

Many elements of the kitchen reference other parts of the house, or experiences the couple has had. The black of the cabinetry, for instance, is tied to several elements found elsewhere. “The shutters are black. And, also two of the fireplaces, including the one in the dining room. It’s also a historical color. So that was why we picked it,” says Nathan. Drury had to figure out the best way to install cabinets into a space that would have only contained freestanding pieces. He devised elegant, hutch-like cabinets that feel as if they’ve always been there. The style and molding seamlessly blends with that found in the butler’s pantry, including a bit of gingerbread molding to connect the top cabinets with the counters.  

In place of a center island, the Andersons opted for a more traditional table that was executed by Drury. It is also a reference, this time to St. Simon Island, where the couple spent their 10th anniversary. The leg shape is what’s known as St. Simon posts. (The island was known for its lumber.) The table also allows easy access to one of their daughters who has special needs and uses a unique highchair. Where an island would have made it difficult for her to participate, the open table affords her to be a full part of the goings on. 

One set of cabinets has glass fronts that allow supplies for the baking corner to be displayed. Even quotidian things such as flour and baking powder are in full view. The daughters love to bake, Kathy makes bread, and Nathan is known for his chocolate chip cookies—so the area gets a lot of use. Near the second pantry—which contains the family-sized refrigerator—Drury installed a radiator cover with additional counter space. It makes a trip to get milk and eggs and other supplies easier because there’s somewhere to rest them without having to repeatedly cross the room with each item. 

Making Work What You Can’t Change

The Andersons have grown to appreciate the layout for its efficiency and division of labor. Plates and silverware live in the butler’s pantry along with the dishwasher, cleverly concealed in new matching cabinetry that David conceived. “There’s not that perfect triangle, but it does function really well for us. We end up having a lot of people in here because it’s a warm and welcoming spot. Even though we have a very large dining room and living room, people still want to be in this cozy kitchen.”  

And that marble countertop? “It does have scratches after a year of having the kitchen, some little marks from where I knead the dough—but I love it,” says Kathy. “That’s what I was hoping for, that it would age with the house. We wanted everything in the kitchen to feel like a part of the home. So, everything reflects something else in the rest of the house. And so that makes me really happy.” 

Appliances List

Custom Range Hood 

Bosch 300 Series 24” Panel Ready Built In Dishwasher 

Sharp 1.2 Cu. Ft. Stainless Steel Microwave Drawer 

The Grind 3/4 Horse Power Garbage Disposal 

Monogram 48″ All Gas Professional Range with 6 Burners and Griddle 

Story by Stephen Treffinger / Photography by Erin Kelly / Kitchen Design by Drury Cabinetry

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