Kitchen of the Week: Buoyant Style on the New England Coast
Cheerful and bright, this Massachusetts kitchen celebrates the glorious seascape just outside its windows
An oceanfront view serves as the backdrop for this colorful kitchen. Set on the shore in Rockport, Massachusetts, the house incorporates the traditional materials of New England and beach influences, but the kitchen has a bold red-orange island to contrast with the gray-blue Atlantic Ocean.
The owners, an active family with four kids, commissioned a stellar team, including S+H Construction, Andra Birkerts and Don Knerr of Charles R. Myer & Partners, to design this space. The modern and bright kitchen emphasizes functionality for this family's summertime antics and love of entertaining.
Photos by Eric Roth
The owners, an active family with four kids, commissioned a stellar team, including S+H Construction, Andra Birkerts and Don Knerr of Charles R. Myer & Partners, to design this space. The modern and bright kitchen emphasizes functionality for this family's summertime antics and love of entertaining.
Photos by Eric Roth
Blue tones connect the kitchen with the rest of the home. Interior designer Andra Birkerts picked a contrasting red-orange for the island; the bright color provides a visual counterpoint to the wide ocean views beyond.
Light fixtures: Andra Birkerts Design
Light fixtures: Andra Birkerts Design
The square island sets up the L-shape layout. The ocean can be seen from the sink side of the island and the counter seating. The refrigerator and microwave sit at the outer edges of the kitchen layout, limiting traffic.
Range, hood: Wolf; refrigerator: Frigidaire; island paint: Ground Paprika, Martha Stewart Living (discontinued)
Range, hood: Wolf; refrigerator: Frigidaire; island paint: Ground Paprika, Martha Stewart Living (discontinued)
Around the corner a separate pantry with a drink refrigerator lies near the kitchen and the outdoor grill.
Honed white concrete countertops re-create the look of soft white sand. The areas near the perimeter have been slightly ground down to show off the glints of sea glass aggregate in the concrete.
Countertops: Slab Lab
Countertops: Slab Lab
A glass counter in a subtle green tops the island. Local glass artisan Peter Houk, director of the glass lab at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, created this beautiful custom piece. The sand-blasted ripples, seaweed and fish convey the feeling of water viewed from a sun-warmed dock.
The main light fixture draws immediate attention; there are also smaller fixtures with subtler sockets, covered with custom blue and white shades.
Big bottom drawers and open upper cabinets make everything easy to find, particularly for visiting family and friends. Colorful serving dishes bring in extra splashes of color.
Big bottom drawers and open upper cabinets make everything easy to find, particularly for visiting family and friends. Colorful serving dishes bring in extra splashes of color.
The sink counter gently wraps around into the living room, leading to a buffet cabinet and hutch. Medium-width distressed floorboards were treated with a matte topcoat that offers commercial-grade protection and emphasizes the natural look and feel of the wood.
Backsplash: Ann Sacks; countertop: Slab Lab; cabinetry: Amherst Woodworking