Kitchen of the Week: Cooking Collaborations and Dinner Parties
An architect’s long-standing master plan helps guide a handy homeowner’s latest renovation phase
From the moment he bought his midcentury ranch house in Princeton, New Jersey, this talented carpenter and handy homeowner had grand plans for it. Knowing he could put in the time to work on the house only outside of his full-time job, he hired Princeton Design Collaborative to create a master plan before he began any renovations. This provided a cohesive big picture to guide him as he broke the renovation into smaller projects that he could complete as time and budget allowed.
What’s extra fun about this project is that we’ve been following the homeowner’s progress on Houzz since 2013, after he completed renovating the basement. Next came the landscape, completed the same year. A decade later, he completed the exterior makeover. Converting an existing breezeway into a kitchen addition as part of the exterior phase jump-started the most recent phase: a full kitchen and dining area remodel. As the project moved along, architect John Conroy created more detailed plans for each space based on his original master plan. The kitchen renovation phase included the 80-square-foot breezeway addition, integrated the adjoining living spaces, expanded the views and flow to the exterior and enhanced the connection to the basement.
What’s extra fun about this project is that we’ve been following the homeowner’s progress on Houzz since 2013, after he completed renovating the basement. Next came the landscape, completed the same year. A decade later, he completed the exterior makeover. Converting an existing breezeway into a kitchen addition as part of the exterior phase jump-started the most recent phase: a full kitchen and dining area remodel. As the project moved along, architect John Conroy created more detailed plans for each space based on his original master plan. The kitchen renovation phase included the 80-square-foot breezeway addition, integrated the adjoining living spaces, expanded the views and flow to the exterior and enhanced the connection to the basement.
After: Starting from the left, there’s the garage, then the portion of the kitchen that took over the breezeway, then the new large sliding doors in the dining area. Fully enclosing the breezeway and insulating it as part of the exterior project meant a gain of 80 square feet for the kitchen. The homeowner loves his backyard, and new large glass doors create a strong indoor-outdoor connection.
Before: In the tradition of “before” photos sometimes looking strange, this one has the homeowner Photoshopped out of it and turned into a ghost. But what’s important to note is that the kitchen was cluttered because storage was severely lacking. However, the homeowner did like the way the U-shaped kitchen functioned for the way he liked to work. It just didn’t have enough countertop or storage space.
This is a man who loves to cook, entertain and collaborate with friends in the kitchen. The work area didn’t have much room for one person, let alone collaborators. Also, the original kitchen’s small eat-in area, located on the other side of the peninsula, wasn’t big enough for a large dinner party. “He wanted to expand the dining area because he loves to entertain,” Conroy says.
This is a man who loves to cook, entertain and collaborate with friends in the kitchen. The work area didn’t have much room for one person, let alone collaborators. Also, the original kitchen’s small eat-in area, located on the other side of the peninsula, wasn’t big enough for a large dinner party. “He wanted to expand the dining area because he loves to entertain,” Conroy says.
After: This photo was taken from the newly expanded dining area. The homeowner wanted to connect the kitchen to the backyard and the rest of the ranch home’s floor plan. The working portion at the back occupies the former breezeway space.
On the left, Conroy made space for 13-foot sliding doors where a 5-foot-wide door had been. The opening to the right with the glass railing serves as a Juliet balcony, providing views down to the basement stairs, across to the living room and up to skylights that were installed during the basement renovation stage. There’s an opening directly across from it that provides a view from the front door directly through the sliders to the backyard.
Angles play a role throughout the design. The white oak butcher block countertop on the peninsula waterfalls down at an angle. “We wanted this counter to look like it had grown out of the floor, gone across the counter, up the wall and across the ceiling. It also creates some division between the working kitchen and the dining area,” Conroy says.
The architect recommended keeping the palette limited and simple. The cabinets and backsplash tile are white, the countertops are a mix of quartz and butcher block, and the wood shelves are white oak with a water-based finish that resembles freshly milled wood.
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On the left, Conroy made space for 13-foot sliding doors where a 5-foot-wide door had been. The opening to the right with the glass railing serves as a Juliet balcony, providing views down to the basement stairs, across to the living room and up to skylights that were installed during the basement renovation stage. There’s an opening directly across from it that provides a view from the front door directly through the sliders to the backyard.
Angles play a role throughout the design. The white oak butcher block countertop on the peninsula waterfalls down at an angle. “We wanted this counter to look like it had grown out of the floor, gone across the counter, up the wall and across the ceiling. It also creates some division between the working kitchen and the dining area,” Conroy says.
The architect recommended keeping the palette limited and simple. The cabinets and backsplash tile are white, the countertops are a mix of quartz and butcher block, and the wood shelves are white oak with a water-based finish that resembles freshly milled wood.
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The homeowner wanted his range area to serve as a focal point. Accordingly, Conroy angled the wall on the right to direct the eye to the range area while blocking the view of the steam oven, microwave and warming drawer beyond it. “My client bought this Viking range many years ago, I think around 2000,” Conroy says. “Even though he loved it, he toyed around with getting a new one. But when he went to the showroom, the sales rep at the store told him that if he had this particular model, it had features they didn’t make anymore and that he should keep it forever,” Conroy says. That’s the plan.
The homeowner’s carpentry skills have honed his deep appreciation for wood, which also drove some of the design details. “He hates working with MDF, so the cabinet drawer and door fronts are birch plywood,” Conroy says. “I was working on a project that used birch plywood with painted oak veneers around the time we started prepping the more detailed plans for the kitchen, and I thought he might like it. So I presented him with some mockups.” The homeowner loved the idea, and the painted real oak veneers add subtle texture and pattern to the cabinets.
Recycling and repurposing was also important to the homeowner. He reused all the studs that were taken down to form the openings in the walls. He also used heavy timbers that were originally used to crate steel to make all the cabinet boxes and the window and door trim. “These timbers were beech and oak, and he got them for something like a dollar each. He cut them down and planed them himself,” Conroy says.
The homeowner’s carpentry skills have honed his deep appreciation for wood, which also drove some of the design details. “He hates working with MDF, so the cabinet drawer and door fronts are birch plywood,” Conroy says. “I was working on a project that used birch plywood with painted oak veneers around the time we started prepping the more detailed plans for the kitchen, and I thought he might like it. So I presented him with some mockups.” The homeowner loved the idea, and the painted real oak veneers add subtle texture and pattern to the cabinets.
Recycling and repurposing was also important to the homeowner. He reused all the studs that were taken down to form the openings in the walls. He also used heavy timbers that were originally used to crate steel to make all the cabinet boxes and the window and door trim. “These timbers were beech and oak, and he got them for something like a dollar each. He cut them down and planed them himself,” Conroy says.
“Because he needed so much storage, we were careful to make sure that the kitchen didn’t look like it was just a room full of cabinets,” says Conroy, who planned for open spaces to break up the cabinetry, using contrasting material like these wood shelves. The shelves have the look of newly cut wood, and they’re backed in the same oak butcher block used throughout the kitchen.
“My client loves to cook and he loves to get his friends to collaborate,” Conroy says. “He wanted to keep his cookware and spices close at hand so no one would have to rummage through the cabinets. He showed me all of his favorite pots and pans and said he’d have them for the rest of his life.” The architect measured the cookware so he could design these shelves to accommodate each piece.
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“My client loves to cook and he loves to get his friends to collaborate,” Conroy says. “He wanted to keep his cookware and spices close at hand so no one would have to rummage through the cabinets. He showed me all of his favorite pots and pans and said he’d have them for the rest of his life.” The architect measured the cookware so he could design these shelves to accommodate each piece.
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The homeowner crafted the recessed spice rack so his collaborators could find the right flavors with ease. It’s white oak to coordinate with the rest of the kitchen.
The quartz continues from the countertop up the wall behind the range. This helps enhance the area as a focal point. There’s also a pot filler on this side.
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The quartz continues from the countertop up the wall behind the range. This helps enhance the area as a focal point. There’s also a pot filler on this side.
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The goal with the lighting was to make it a simple accent that would enhance the room without being a distraction. Simple mud-in LED lights are recessed into the ceiling 1 inch with a lens that’s flush with it. “Rather than using can lights, this allowed us to paint with light,” Conroy says. There’s also undercabinet and under-shelf lighting. Conroy installed plug molds beneath the cabinets so as not to interrupt the backsplash with outlets.
Over the sink, there’s a view out to the backyard. On the right, an oak open shelf and a glass-front cabinet provide more storage.
“Because he loves to collaborate and wants people to feel comfortable in his kitchen, he also wanted to leave things like glasses and plates out in the open,” Conroy says. These items are stored on the shelf in front of the window.
“Because he loves to collaborate and wants people to feel comfortable in his kitchen, he also wanted to leave things like glasses and plates out in the open,” Conroy says. These items are stored on the shelf in front of the window.
Throughout the kitchen, the cabinets have playful moments where they resemble building blocks, such as where they meet over the peninsula. This kind of design and the use of frosted glass on the higher cabinet fronts keep the space from feeling like “just a room full of cabinets.”
The composition of the backsplash tiles is playful as well. The 2-by-4-inch subway tiles are stacked vertically in a staggered pattern — a nod to the home’s midcentury vintage.
The composition of the backsplash tiles is playful as well. The 2-by-4-inch subway tiles are stacked vertically in a staggered pattern — a nod to the home’s midcentury vintage.
Off the other side of the peninsula, the dining area enjoys the view through the large new sliding doors on one side. On the other side, Conroy designed a buffet-bar between the Juliet balcony and the opening to the living room.
Frosted glass doors along the cabinets that run beneath the ceiling reflect light and lighten the look of the cabinetry. This run of cabinets resembles a soffit. Asymmetry was a motif throughout the room. Here, open shelves on the right side of the bar cabinets keep the view through to the living room more open.
“My client likes to eat at this table, and it’s usually perpendicular to the doors like you see here,” Conroy says. “But when he has people over, he turns it 90 degrees and opens up the leaves.” To accommodate this, the architect found this simple modern light fixture from Stickbulb. It can be rotated to suit whichever way the table is oriented.
Frosted glass doors along the cabinets that run beneath the ceiling reflect light and lighten the look of the cabinetry. This run of cabinets resembles a soffit. Asymmetry was a motif throughout the room. Here, open shelves on the right side of the bar cabinets keep the view through to the living room more open.
“My client likes to eat at this table, and it’s usually perpendicular to the doors like you see here,” Conroy says. “But when he has people over, he turns it 90 degrees and opens up the leaves.” To accommodate this, the architect found this simple modern light fixture from Stickbulb. It can be rotated to suit whichever way the table is oriented.
The bar has open shelves for cookbooks on one side and racks for wineglasses. The butcher block counter matches the peninsula counter. The ledge that caps the backsplash lines up with the top of the glass railing and the countertop across the room. Conroy knew that keeping things like this lined up would be visually pleasing and add order to the design.
You may have noticed what looks like a unique wallcovering in the previous photos. But it’s not — it’s something the homeowner refers to as “the legacy wall.” When he removed the existing wallpaper, it revealed the original 75-year-old plaster. He loved the distressed look of the wall and decided to leave it as a piece of the home’s history.
“He loves that all of his guests react to it,” Conroy says. “He tells me they either love it or hate it, but it always sparks an interesting discussion.”
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“He loves that all of his guests react to it,” Conroy says. “He tells me they either love it or hate it, but it always sparks an interesting discussion.”
Check out our beginner’s guide to get started on your home project
Here’s another master plan detail that helped the project come together many years later. Conroy designated the orientation of the new white oak flooring that would eventually be installed on the first floor. He had the homeowner orient the floorboards in the same direction on the basement stair treads. This created a cohesive connection between the open basement stairs and the first floor once the new flooring was installed.
The architect also designed a large light monitor over the basement stairs in the master plan, and it was installed when the homeowner completed the basement phase in 2013. The skylights along it are installed along the roof’s angle. This floods the basement staircase with indirect natural light. When the homeowner opened up walls around the staircase during the kitchen remodel 10 years later, it brought that light into the kitchen and living room.
The architect also designed a large light monitor over the basement stairs in the master plan, and it was installed when the homeowner completed the basement phase in 2013. The skylights along it are installed along the roof’s angle. This floods the basement staircase with indirect natural light. When the homeowner opened up walls around the staircase during the kitchen remodel 10 years later, it brought that light into the kitchen and living room.
Conroy purposely designed the basement stairs to be open to the main floor rather than having a door and closed stairwell. In anticipation of all this openness around the stairs, he designed them to be view-worthy. The paneling is bookmatched plain-sliced maple that was sustainably harvested.
Renovating sustainably was important to the homeowner and the architect. It has been a driving factor throughout the design phases. Some of the sustainable elements include:
“Master planning also aided with sustainability,” Conroy says. “This is because with one big picture, my client could complete each phase without having to redo any of the other projects completed during the long renovation. This reduced physical waste as well as financial waste.”
Renovating sustainably was important to the homeowner and the architect. It has been a driving factor throughout the design phases. Some of the sustainable elements include:
- A very tight building shell with ZIP System R-sheathing that has an all-in-one sheathing, weather barrier and continuous layer of insulation at the exterior side of the wall studs.
- A combination of closed-cell foam with an R-value of 7 per inch and Rockwool insulation.
- The homeowner carefully limited waste created during the remodel. He repurposed about 90% of the wood studs that were removed during construction.
- He recycled metal pulled from pipes, cast-iron sinks and nails during demolition.
- The flooring is natural 2¼-inch white oak with a two-part water-based finish.
- The wood counters and the cabinets are made with environmentally friendly glues. The drawer boxes were fabricated from reclaimed heavy timber used for creating steel.
- The wood floor base was salvaged and reused to match the rest of the home.
- The wall paints are non-VOC.
“Master planning also aided with sustainability,” Conroy says. “This is because with one big picture, my client could complete each phase without having to redo any of the other projects completed during the long renovation. This reduced physical waste as well as financial waste.”
For this drawing, imagine that the roof has been peeled off and you’re looking into the house from above. The block in the top right corner is the light monitor that has the skylights in it, and the basement stairs are below it. You can also see how the fridge wall angles into the space near the top center of the photo.
The homeowner has lived through several renovation phases here but noted that living without a kitchen from May to October 2023 made this the most disruptive phase so far.
“It was really smart of him to pick the time of year he did, because he was able to use his outdoor kitchen for food prep and keep a fridge plugged in in the living room,” Conroy says.
“He’s told me that the master planning and [Princeton Design Collaborative’s] execution of the design was invaluable throughout the process,” Conroy says. Front yard landscaping and the living room are the last remaining areas in the master plan to be addressed.
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The homeowner has lived through several renovation phases here but noted that living without a kitchen from May to October 2023 made this the most disruptive phase so far.
“It was really smart of him to pick the time of year he did, because he was able to use his outdoor kitchen for food prep and keep a fridge plugged in in the living room,” Conroy says.
“He’s told me that the master planning and [Princeton Design Collaborative’s] execution of the design was invaluable throughout the process,” Conroy says. Front yard landscaping and the living room are the last remaining areas in the master plan to be addressed.
Read more kitchen stories
Browse kitchen photos
Hire a kitchen remodeler
Shop for kitchen products
Kitchen at a Glance
Who lives here: A master carpenter
Location: Princeton, New Jersey
Size: 330 square feet (31 square meters)
Architect: John Conroy of Princeton Design Collaborative
Before: The homeowner crafted all the cabinets himself and started on that part of the project a few years before taking his kitchen down to the studs. He did this in his workshop in the garage, located on the left side of this photo. The master plan guided him to start some of the kitchen project while working on the exterior phase, because the renovated kitchen’s footprint incorporated the existing breezeway as an addition. The breezeway is the portion of the home seen behind the trellis tower in the garden with the white siding and glass.
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