Decorating & Design
This Luxurious Kitchen Shines With Jewel-Like Brass Accents
Updated on February 26, 2021
How do you make a kitchen in a historical home feel current while paying homage to its history? Just look to this luxe and layered gathering place by designer and architect Gillian Green. “This house is grand and muscular in proportion, but the kitchen had been stripped of its historical details long ago,” she says. “Our intention was to be respectful of the original design while adding new, modern elements. We incorporated blue-black cabinets to ground the white and light oak in the room.” Chevron floors and warm brass accents add plenty of warmth, while a reconfigured layout maximizes indoor-outdoor living during the warmer months. Scroll down for Gillian’s insights on updating a kitchen in an older home.
This family kitchen proves that, when used thoughtfully and sparingly, luxe finishes such as brass and honed marble can find a home in even the hardest working kitchens. “A kitchen island chat, an intimate dinner, a house party with friends dancing in the backyard — this kitchen allows for it all,” says Gillian.
“The backyard was a bit of an unexpected gem — so lush and private,” says Gillian. “We wanted to have a seamless connection that flowed from the kitchen to the backyard, so we put in bifold doors; they open up completely for outdoor entertaining on summer nights.”
The unlacquered brass-clad vent hood is a big-ticket item that will age beautifully. “It nods to the owner’s nautical East Coast roots and provides a warm focal point for the kitchen,” says Gillian.
Solid quartz counters let the veining on the honed Statuarietto marble backsplash shine: the placement of the slab was as carefully considered as an art installation.
This angled desk area is an ideal spot to sit with a laptop while dinner simmers on the stove.
“It made sense to have something more resilient than wood for the threshold, so we installed a porcelain tile,” says Gillian. “The graphic, modern and playful pattern adds a whimsical quality to the space.”
Alex Lukey
House & Home March 2020
Gillian Green