1920-era home had been renovated in the 1980s, but the renovations were looking dated. Plus, the floor plan did not work for a couple who loved to cook and entertain. Among many other changes, a coat closet was relocated to create a kitchen entrance through a butler’s pantry adjacent to the foyer. We updated kitchen and butler pantries with extensive food preparation and wine storage areas, multiple sinks, a bar area, professional grade range and range hood, and a large refrigerator supplemented with refrigerator and freezer drawers. Ventilation required some creative thinking since the Back Bay (Boston) Architectural Commission prohibits exterior penetrations. The commercial grade range hood in the kitchen is so powerful that air needed to be brought back in to the kitchen to maintain pressure. The solution was change a window to incorporate a transom. Ventilation now occurs through the transom, and an elaborate soffit system carries the air throughout the home.