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Kitchen of the Week: Historic Farmhouse Style in a New Home
A designer uses reclaimed beams, stone, brick, oak and oil-rubbed bronze to give this kitchen vintage vibes
Because of its reclaimed-wood beams, stone range surround, vintage-style lighting, brick floor and antique accessories, you might swear this kitchen was at least 100 years old, and that was indeed the design goal. But the truth is that it’s part of a new home and was designed to look like a historic farmhouse kitchen.
“The husband was in the tree industry for years, so he was all about different wood species, and the wife is from Italy, so she wanted to incorporate masonry into the project,” interior designer Katie Ceplawskes says. The result is a kitchen that feels cozy while functioning well for the way the couple like to cook and entertain.
“The husband was in the tree industry for years, so he was all about different wood species, and the wife is from Italy, so she wanted to incorporate masonry into the project,” interior designer Katie Ceplawskes says. The result is a kitchen that feels cozy while functioning well for the way the couple like to cook and entertain.
The property is 14 acres and used to be a tree farm. It’s surrounded by state-owned land, so the homeowners will always have views of the woods beyond their property lines. DeBaker Design Group completed the architecture of the home and placed the kitchen along the front of the house, with wide views across the pool to the bucolic setting. Great Rooms Building Group then handled the kitchen layout.
“The windows helped determine the layout,” Ceplawskes says. “Our clients knew they wanted a large island with seating for entertaining and wanted to be able to look out the windows while working at it. From there, we centered the range on the island.” Another factor that influenced the layout was the large pantry behind the kitchen. It meant there was no need to plan for food storage within the kitchen itself.
Browse matte black kitchen faucets in the Houzz Shop
“The windows helped determine the layout,” Ceplawskes says. “Our clients knew they wanted a large island with seating for entertaining and wanted to be able to look out the windows while working at it. From there, we centered the range on the island.” Another factor that influenced the layout was the large pantry behind the kitchen. It meant there was no need to plan for food storage within the kitchen itself.
Browse matte black kitchen faucets in the Houzz Shop
“A lot of our layouts also start with appliance sizes. This is a 48-inch range,” Ceplawskes says. The range alcove is a massive element in the room, but its proportions fit the scale of the space in a pleasing way. The reclaimed beam Ceplawskes used for the alcove mantel ties in with the architecture of the home. The range backsplash is quartz with a mottled look like concrete.
Cabinet features include silverware dividers, tray slats, rollout shelves, deep drawers and hidden trash and recycling bins.
Cabinet features include silverware dividers, tray slats, rollout shelves, deep drawers and hidden trash and recycling bins.
Ceplawskes also used the concrete-look quartz on the island and perimeter countertops.
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This view from the casual second front entry through to the kitchen shows the abundance of wood used in the home. “Because the husband was so into wood, we used a lot of reclaimed beams,” Ceplawskes says. The wood appears in the kitchen around door frames, on the ceiling beams and on the mantel over the range.
See more photos of this home
See more photos of this home
The oak island pleased the husband and helped bring his style into the design. It pleased the wife because Ceplawskes made sure it coordinated with the wood of a family hutch she wanted to use in the space.
But it’s the Italian-inspired stonework that makes the biggest impact. “Our tile setter had worked as a mason for years, so he was perfect for this project,” Ceplawskes says. The stone, which came from Colorado, reminded the homeowner of Italy. Each piece is 3 inches thick. The stone continues as the backsplash beyond the range.
But it’s the Italian-inspired stonework that makes the biggest impact. “Our tile setter had worked as a mason for years, so he was perfect for this project,” Ceplawskes says. The stone, which came from Colorado, reminded the homeowner of Italy. Each piece is 3 inches thick. The stone continues as the backsplash beyond the range.
“My client called the house ‘my party house’ and wanted to have room for people to gather around the island,” Ceplawskes says. And by placing the sink and dishwasher in the island, the designer made sure her clients could enjoy the view out the windows when prepping food and doing dishes.
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The faucet, dishwasher and fridge are all matte black. This finish suits the vintage feel of the kitchen. Stainless steel would have felt too contemporary.
The homeowner found the vintage pendant lights at a local secondhand shop. They have a lot of patina and add to the vintage vibe.
The homeowner found the vintage pendant lights at a local secondhand shop. They have a lot of patina and add to the vintage vibe.
The hardware is oil-rubbed bronze, which works well with the matte black finishes and the countertops in the room. “These have floral impressions and tie in to the other vintage elements,” Ceplawskes says.
New to home remodeling? Learn the basics
New to home remodeling? Learn the basics
The homeowner had a nice collection of vintage items, such as the iron farm animals seen here. “She’s picked up a lot of things like this over the years, and I barely had to do any staging for the photo shoot,” Ceplawskes says.
This is the view through the secondary entrance area toward the light-filled breakfast room. The home also has a formal dining room.
For the flooring, the homeowner was set on brick. But she also wanted something low-maintenance. “They have big dogs and needed something more durable and easier to maintain than brick,” Ceplawskes says. “So this is a porcelain tile that looks like brick.” The flooring lends a vintage country feel to the space.
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For the flooring, the homeowner was set on brick. But she also wanted something low-maintenance. “They have big dogs and needed something more durable and easier to maintain than brick,” Ceplawskes says. “So this is a porcelain tile that looks like brick.” The flooring lends a vintage country feel to the space.
More on Houzz
Read more kitchen stories
Browse kitchen photos
Find a kitchen remodeler
Shop for kitchen products
Kitchen at a Glance
Who lives here: A couple
Location: Bristol, Wisconsin
Size: 292 square feet (27 square meters)
Design-build firm: Great Rooms Building Group
“We always have our clients begin by collecting inspiration photos in a Houzz ideabook and following each other so that we’ll know when the other adds things,” Ceplawskes says. “The wife, who is from Italy, found an inspiration photo of a fireplace that reminded her of one from her family home there and wanted to find a way to incorporate something like it in the kitchen.” She was also set on using Benjamin Moore’s Adirondack Green. The stone surround for the range and the cabinet color served as jumping-off points for the design.
“My goal is always to make a kitchen functional and proportionately pleasing,” the designer says. “This is a big house, but the kitchen feels cozy and fits in really well.”
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