A Pizza Oven, a Secret Door and 2 Cooks
Jennifer Gallagher had a long time to plan her dream kitchen. In fact, she had most of her life. She grew up in the house she now shares with her husband, Kelly. They bought Jennifer’s childhood home from her parents about 13 years ago and began putting in motion a plan to update the 1950s-era kitchen with fun features like a pizza oven, a secret door to a hidden pantry and a peninsula cooktop that allows the couple to work across from each other.
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It is a beautiful kitchen, but for someone who is a baker you would think the baking oven or ovens would be more central to the design. I'm guessing they are to the right of the refrigerator which seems fairly distant from the work surfaces or any convenient place to put hot baking pans and trays.
Wow, what a difference the new materials, space, and lighting makes! It went from a functioning kitchen to a beautiful, inviting place to cook, gather, and make memories. Thank you for sharing it with us.
Very fun kitchen!
It went from nice to stunning.
Curious about what's next to the bar sink. Is that an ice-maker? A refrigerator? A dishwasher for glassware?
Her cabinetmaker is a true keeper - jumping so quickly on that secret door fantasy! Very cool!
Love the hidden door! We are installing one in our remodel kitchen design also! Ours will hide the entry to the upstairs guest floor. Beautiful kitchen :-)
Wow! That's one of the most beautiful kitchens I've ever seen, it must be a joy to work in. The U shaped island and the cooktop with control knobs on both sides is ingenious, allowing you both to use the stove without being in each other's way. Brilliantly done!
This is reaaally nice! The choice in cabinet color with the marble countertops is perfect! And my husband would love that stove top!!
Love the mix of colors, textures, and materials in a beautiful and functional space.
It's beautiful but for me impractical to work inside a horseshoe and have to go out and around to the sink and refrigerator. I hope she has at least one oven somewhere, but can't imagine it's convenient given I don't see it unless it's off pic beyond the refrigerator. As a baker I would have kept a double wall oven set up next to the counter where I'm mixing.
Now, this is just gorgeous. Great job!
Spectacular space
Beautiful kitchen! Are the cabinets painted or stained? What color was used?
Rarely do I like big kitchens but this one has me drooling. It has everything a cook can dream of plus it's gorgeous.
Wow! Can you move over so I can make some rugelach? This is the greatest.
I LOVE THIS COUPLE! Such courage and determination! I honestly cried when I read that she had spent "years collecting items." And then she said, "If something's worth doing, it's worth overdoing." We, as a culture, have become so PREDICTABLE and unimaginative! And worse yet, so "instant-gratification-minded" that we have cheated ourselves of the joys and rewards of thinking for ourselves. I love that this creative woman took charge of what SHE wanted in her kitchen and put the time, energy, love, planning and MONEY into her dream. WHY NOT??? Why are we always rushing into the next white-faux-leather-and-chrome fad? There's nothing wrong with that, IF that's what you really and truly love! Not because that's what some department store or magazine SAYS you should love (and if you don't, you're a moron, according to them.) As a professional in the industry of interiors and kitchen design, I can promise you that this is NOT a do-it-yourself project, and furthermore, this was not a $20,000 kitchen-in-a-box. SPLURGE is written all over those appliances, counters, hidden doors and details. This article made my day. I pray that they will enjoy this gorgeous new kitchen for many, many years, in the company of family and friends (the un-envious kind.) And if the envious kind do show up, serve them a smile and send them on their way with a delicious, home-made croissant to warm their empty souls.
WOW! I also crave a secret door. Maybe someday..:-)
Love it--totally customized to suit their needs.
You display lots of kitchen remodels and while so many are terrific, this is one of the most interesting. Congratulations to the Gallagher duo.
Nice job! You two have thought of everything!
I love this kitchen! And I really like that this was the house that one of the new owners grew up in. That makes it extra special.
Please give us info about the pizza oven. Where did it come from?
Really cool!
Finally, a kitchen that addresses the important issues: the ability to have more than one cook working simultaneously, a pizza oven and a secret door. Very inspirational.
This is the first perfect kitchen I have seen!
That's the most obvious "hidden door" I've ever seen.
I love all of the customization done for you. And it is beautiful. I need that cool rack with the pizza accessories. Wow!
The skylight looks huge...how is it constructed?
I love the color of the cabinetry! Can you please tell us the name and brand?
more info on the pendant lights - where to buy - thanks!
Wow! That's not just a remodel, it's total reconstruction. I'd like the rounded off cost to do that. The important thing is that they transformed perhaps the most important part of their home, given they enjoy cooking into something visually amazing and functionally 300% better. To me, that is the key to a good life and loving your home. I also believe there is something extra special to doing it yourself, designing it yourself.
When I saw the old kitchen I thought that looks great and I would love a kitchen like that. But when I saw the navy new kitchen I loved it too. Lucky you to have exactly what you want. Enjoy.
I spy Girl Scout Cookies.
As they say, to each their own! I was looking for ideas for my 1950s kitchen, so this wasn't what I wanted, but I have to share what I'M doing. I've torn out my faux oak 1990s kitchen here, and I'm replacing it WITH an 1950s Hotpoint Steel kitchen I found on facebook marketplace, complete with cast iron sink. Just yesterday my son and I figured out a configuration for the base units. Next time he comes over, the plumbing, electric, and plywood counter base will be added. Here's a photo after we quit for the day yesterday! Now, WON'T that look nice and airy? Also, the cabinets cost a total of $235! I'm adapting an old wooden wardrobe into an appliance garage, canning supply and pantry, because like most, I have WAY more appliances than folks had in the 1950s.
Beautiful...what type of paint finish is recommended on a darker colored cabinet/gray.
I just LOVE it, especially the hidden door! So many unusual, personal touches. A dream kitchen for anyone!
Will they adopt an old lady? She will tend the Gardens for pizza!
Great kitchen! Love the use of big slabs of marble for the workstation. Does "the 12 feet bumped out in the direction of the pizza oven (previously the sink wall) to create a bigger kitchen" mean that space was borrowed from the adjacent room by knocking down the wall?
What a stunning kitchen. Congratulations!
love it all - and what gorgeous slabs of marble.
What color of paint is used for the cabinets?
I hope there's a way to open that secret door from the inside...LOL
Love it! That secret door is such a fun idea, and the island design is so oringinal!
Gorgeous. Would like to know where the oil rubbed bronze lights came from.
There are so many people that obsess over backsplashes, but these photos prove that you can pull off a spectacular kitchen without one...bravo!!
F.A.B.U.L.O.U.S !!!!!
Beautiful kitchen! I love the u-shaped island, very smart for a cook's kitchen! I'm wondering if the counter tops are Carrara marble? If not, what is the stone you used? How are you finding the ease of maintenance with having a marble counter top?
Love the Pizza oven!
Beautiful! I would have liked to see flat countertops with a pretty backsplash!
WOW!!! I agree with Janet and N Marie - beautiful and stunning!
Hi all! That awesome paint color on the cabinets is Inkwell by Sherwin-Williams!
Shouldn't we not know how to get into the secret door? ya know ?
Well done! Love the skylight and all that natural light!
This kitchen is amazing! And that secret door - reminds me of Young Frankenstein...."put. the candle.back!" love it!
The first thing I looked up when I saw this kitchen was... wait... how many people are living in this house... two ??? Looks like a kitchen built for a family of twelve! OK it says the lady is a baker, if she really bakes on a large scale and does it for a job I can understand the size of the kitchen. A very extensive remodel, and the most interesting part is how the wishes of the owners were put into practice. Lots of cool ideas to get inspiration from. I have one question : do the marble countertops withstand the heat ? Like can you put a hot cookie tray coming out of the oven right onto the counter without damaging it ? It would seem to be an important feature if they bake a lot...
Marble can definitely take the heat, there are two other concerns however; the porous nature of the stone and chipping/scratches from cookware. Oils and food stains from cooking can be absorbed by the counter if sealers are not kept up to date. Heavy cookware and knives can potentially chip and scratch the surface.
Thank you for the info... I think I will stick to granite for my next kitchen too. My present kitchen has 20 year old granite countertops, they're indestructible, no stain, no scratch, nothing.
Beautiful! The pendant lights are definitely not from Restoration Hardware. Can you tell us where you got them?
A secret room with a hidden door that pops open when you pull a recipe book? How fun is that!!!
Beautiful kitchen! But the "secret door" looks like a door to me. Would look more secret if painted the same as walls.
This is a really fun kitchen. It's nice to see someone design a kitchen for their specific need instead of having concern what the next buyer might want. The most interesting houses are those whose owners 'went for it.'
Really great to see it's possible to have such an oven in one's home kitchen! A fun kitchen indeed!!
I feel inspired !!! Love the grand size pantry and the expansive counters
LOVE everything about this story, from childhood home revamped to the gorgeous new kitchen/living space!
Love, love, love all the personal touches! The island is incredible, too. May you have a lifetime of wonderful memories together in your home.
A beautiful kitchen designed with functionality for this couple - love it! Agree the pantry isn't really hidden, but I immediately noticed the stash of Girl Scout cookies hidden in there :) A beautiful remodel to an older home with obvious sentimental value.
Wow! From a merely surviving kitchen (laminate, vinyl) to a thriving one! With bits and pieces from your loved ones plus the freedom of space where you can cook and bake your heart out, not to mention the realization of your childhood dream (A Secret Door!) this is a truly breathing and alive kitchen!
I love this customized kitchen. A bakers dream. Congratulations to the home owners. And to Tinsa with Schweitzer Design & Build, Inc. Well done.
I also would love to know who makes the combo wood/gas pizza oven, I’ve been looking for an indoor one like that for a long time. If anyone knows please let me know, even a wood pellet indoor pizza oven would work too I would think.
Welcoming, warm and beautiful kitchen and BEST part...it is EXACTLY what they wanted!! Every day I drive by Mugnaini Wood & Gas (a local pizza oven manuf.-in Healdsburg, Ca) and this article has inspired me to stop by and check out what they have to offer a homeowner who also LOVES a yummy, healthy pizza! Thanks for a great video!
Now that's a fun kitchen! Really happy for them.
What I like most about this kitchen is that it has been designed to the last detail to suit how the owners use the kitchen. Practical and beautiful and fun too! They should be the envy of us all!
Beautiful kitchen, designed for them, love it. The best part is the memories, the wood milled fro her parent's property, the wood piece from her grandfather with the copper tying in memories of his grandfather.
No comments- just Wow!!!
For those of you with questions, some of them can be answered by going to Houzz TV and watching the film. You'll see a double wall oven 'this side' of the fridge, for example. It goes sink under the window, fridge, ovens, from left to right facing the fridge. There's a small surface next to the double wall ovens for setting down a hot dish, but it seems to be only a couple of steps to the island from the double wall ovens.
There's a switch inside the secret pantry that lights up and indicates how to open the door from the inside - no safety issue there.
They don't care about the stains or marks on the marble. This is the wife's family home, and she feels that the patina that will come on the marble adds to the 'story' of the kitchen/home from a new generation of home-owners.
In the film, you can see that the space inside the U is not as huge as the perspective makes it seem in these pictures. Basically, it's roomy enough for two adults to be inside without jostling each other, but it's not a long trip around the island to get to the fridge, sink, pizza oven, etc.
There's a formal dining room off the kitchen (open plan) and a pass-through window onto a balcony for eating al fresco. Also a wet bar across from the bottom of the U. (Inside the bottom of the U are baking supplies, so the bottom of the U creates a baking station, in effect).
The vaulted ceiling allows for throwing pizzas, as well as bringing in light and making a dramatic statement out of the hood over the cook top.
It's really a well-designed kitchen. Watch the film to see all the details and get the owners' feelings about the place. As for the place only being inhabited by two people... well, they ARE a young couple! Give them some time, already!
@ scarbowcow, Thank you for the tip to watch the video! I didn't see it at first because I remembered this article the first time and didn't know why I was getting notices about it. It really does make a difference to see the 'real size' layout and how the couple moves in it. It really is much more beautiful than the original pics and description could communicate.
Does the pizza oven make the kitchen warm when in use? Have felt the heat of some commercial ovens in restaurants but wasn't sure about this one.
Love the kitchen! It is amazing! I love all the attention to details too! Wishing you all the best in your future.
I love the fact that you have to push Vefa’s kitchen to open the secret door. I have that cookbook, although technically it belongs to my son.
@Gail Dalmat . I'm envious! Those 1950s steel kitchens are amazing. They never happened here in Australia, unfortunately.
@Kendra Langhans They are in Oregon so I'm guessing the extra warmth is a bonus for most of the year. In the summer they probably just open the doors. I installed a commercial range (not a pizza oven, but it has a large regular oven with french doors, love it), and you are not wrong about it heating up the kitchen! Again, I live in the mountains in Tasmania so in winter this is a plus. In spring and autumn if it gets a bit warm we just open the doors. In summer baking on the hottest days is out of the question, but that would be true for any oven. Mind you, even leaving the pilot light on warms the kitchen (and uses a crazy amount of gas) so we blow it out between uses. This would probably be a deal breaker for a lot of people, but to me it's worth it for the amazing baking that the oven does.
I want one ! Great video!!
I have kitchen envy! This is a beautifully designed kitchen for a couple who enjoy cooking and entertaining! Love the U shaped island and the family history surrounding the wood. Stunning!
Awesome I love your kitchen! And at least you have fun in there! The secret pantry is so cool right on!
I love the dark blue!
Mandi @ Dura
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Love the unique transformation, and their love for pizza. enjoy your new kitchen!
I’m jealous. Totally awesome.
Love the sewing machine space!
Great kitchen for a great couple. Love it!
Wow!! What a beautiful kitchen. I wish my kitchen was as large as theirs as I would be making all kinds of wonderful meals. I especially love the pantry, the pizza oven, and the U-Shaped island as well as the storage for all the food supplies. Also, the dark cabinets and the windows complement the space making it bright and cozy. I mean, who wouldn’t want a kitchen like this, you would have everything you need. Again, what a beautiful kitchen!❤️☺️
I think u did a magnificent job. what I love most are the inherited objects you used in addition to placing them in your childhood home. It's easy to buy stuff but hard to feel at home throughout your home. Any body can put together a sterile looking and feel kitchen, but you and your Grt husb are adding memories to memories for your past, present and future family and no matter where u move or go in this world you are living in the only place on Earth that can do that for you & it looks MARVELOUS DAHLING, (Great JOB!).
This is the most beautiful kitchen I think I’ve ever seen on Houzz. I don’t think I would ever leave it. I might hide a Murphy bed somewhere to sleep in it! Ha! Lovely lovely lovely. I do wonder why the island is U shaped? It looked like the couple have to squeeze around one another when both are inside? I think I would have removed most of the left side when facing the pizza oven and made it more of a nouveau L. But, like I said, GORGEOUS!
In your hidden pantry do you have drawer slides that extend further than the norm? I have an island with cupboards beneath, need to find slides that would push drawer past overhang of counter top!