Looking at this home today, you would never know that the project began as a poorly maintained duplex. Luckily, the homeowners saw past the worn façade and engaged our team to uncover and update the Victorian gem that lay underneath. Taking special care to preserve the historical integrity of the 100-year-old floor plan, we returned the home back to its original glory as a grand, single family home. The project included many renovations, both small and large, including the addition of a a wraparound porch to bring the façade closer to the street, a gable with custom scrollwork to accent the new front door, and a more substantial balustrade. Windows were added to bring in more light and some interior walls were removed to open up the public spaces to accommodate the family’s lifestyle. You can read more about the transformation of this home in Old House Journal: http://www.cummingsarchitects.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/07/Old-House-Journal-Dec.-2009.pdf Photo Credit: Eric Roth

These terrific clients turned a boring 80's kitchen into a modern, Asian-inspired chef's dream kitchen, with two tone cabinetry and professional grade appliances. An over-sized island provides comfortable seating for four. Custom Half-wall bookcases divide the kitchen from the family room without impeding sight lines into the inviting space. Photography: Stacy Zarin Goldberg

Small transitional galley light wood floor and beige floor enclosed kitchen photo in Portland with a farmhouse sink, shaker cabinets, light wood cabinets, quartz countertops, green backsplash, subway tile backsplash, paneled appliances, no island and white countertops

Photographer: Jim Bartsch Architect: Thompson Naylor Architects Interior Design: Jessica Risko Smith Interior Design
Example of a small ornate galley light wood floor eat-in kitchen design in Santa Barbara with a farmhouse sink, recessed-panel cabinets, white cabinets, granite countertops, black backsplash and stainless steel appliances

Photo: Sean Dagen
Small elegant galley medium tone wood floor enclosed kitchen photo in San Francisco with an undermount sink, shaker cabinets, white cabinets, gray backsplash, subway tile backsplash, stainless steel appliances and no island

Open concept kitchen - transitional galley medium tone wood floor and brown floor open concept kitchen idea in Boston with shaker cabinets, white cabinets, gray backsplash, stainless steel appliances and an island

Eichler in Marinwood - The primary organizational element of the interior is the kitchen. Embedded within the simple post and beam structure, the kitchen was conceived as a programmatic block from which we would carve in order to contribute to both sense of function and organization. photo: scott hargis

Mid-sized farmhouse galley dark wood floor and brown floor eat-in kitchen photo in Boston with raised-panel cabinets, white cabinets, gray backsplash, an island, a farmhouse sink, marble countertops, stone slab backsplash and stainless steel appliances

Removal of the walls at either end of the galley-shaped kitchen, and the addition of a split-level seating bar, make this kitchen look twice as large as is really is. Photo by Scot Trueblood

Small transitional galley light wood floor and beige floor enclosed kitchen photo in Portland with a farmhouse sink, shaker cabinets, light wood cabinets, quartz countertops, green backsplash, subway tile backsplash, paneled appliances, no island and white countertops

What was once a cramped dining room has become a buffet with plenty of storage. Photo by Scot Trueblood
Example of a mid-sized beach style galley ceramic tile eat-in kitchen design in Miami with shaker cabinets, light wood cabinets, quartzite countertops, multicolored backsplash, mosaic tile backsplash, stainless steel appliances, a double-bowl sink and a peninsula

Eichler in Marinwood - The primary organizational element of the interior is the kitchen. Embedded within the simple post and beam structure, the kitchen was conceived as a programmatic block from which we would carve in order to contribute to both sense of function and organization. photo: scott hargis

Renovated, open-plan mid-century modern kitchen with red accents. Dual beer tap beverage bar integrated into galley-style kitchen. Teri Fotheringham photography

Enclosed kitchen - small transitional galley light wood floor and beige floor enclosed kitchen idea in Portland with a farmhouse sink, shaker cabinets, light wood cabinets, quartz countertops, green backsplash, subway tile backsplash, paneled appliances, no island and white countertops

Example of a trendy galley dark wood floor and brown floor kitchen design in New York with an undermount sink, flat-panel cabinets, medium tone wood cabinets, white backsplash, stainless steel appliances, a peninsula and white countertops

Inspiration for a small transitional galley light wood floor and beige floor enclosed kitchen remodel in Portland with a farmhouse sink, shaker cabinets, light wood cabinets, quartz countertops, green backsplash, subway tile backsplash, paneled appliances, no island and white countertops

Small transitional galley light wood floor and beige floor enclosed kitchen photo in Portland with a farmhouse sink, shaker cabinets, light wood cabinets, quartz countertops, green backsplash, subway tile backsplash, paneled appliances, no island and white countertops

With respect to the notion of old-meets-new, the kitchen strikes a comfortable balance between materials. For the center island, Franklin repurposed original barn siding into cladding for the unit, painting it grey. The Corian counter top and stainless steel backsplash provide a cool contrast. A set of antique barstools was a fortunate find for the homeowner. Sourced from a local bar that had closed, all they needed was a little elbow grease to realize their full potential. It took days to remove years worth of nicotine stains from them, but as Franklin exclaims, "It was worth it because the old stools found a new home in an old barn!" The partial wall was designed to address a number of functional and aesthetic concerns. Dividing the workspace from the storage space, it keeps the pantry area out of view, and allows light to carry through this area of the home. Franklin also uses the wall as a means to display his growing teapot collection. "It’s funny," he confesses, "but I think they can entice people to sit down, have a cup of tea and converse (Imagine that in this world of technology!)" Adrienne DeRosa Photography

Attractive living as an architectural experiment: a 136-year-old water tower, a listed building with a spectacular 360-degree panorama view over the City of London. The task, to transform it into a superior residence, initially seemed an absolute impossibility. But when the owners came across architect Mike Collier, they had found a partner who was to make the impossible possible. The tower, which had been empty for decades, underwent radical renovation work and was extended by a four-storey cube containing kitchen, dining and living room - connected by glazed tunnels and a lift shaft. The kitchen, realised by Enclosure Interiors in Tunbridge Wells, Kent, with furniture from LEICHT is the very heart of living in this new building. Shiny white matt-lacquered kitchen fronts (AVANCE-LR), tone-on-tone with the worktops, reflect the light in the room and thus create expanse and openness. The surface of the handle-less kitchen fronts has a horizontal relief embossing; depending on the light incidence, this results in a vitally structured surface. The free-standing preparation isle with its vertical side panels with a seamlessly integrated sink represents the transition between kitchen and living room. The fronts of the floor units facing the dining table were extended to the floor to do away with the plinth typical of most kitchens. Ceiling-high tall units on the wall provide plenty of storage space; the electrical appliances are integrated here invisible to the eye. Floor units on a high plinth which thus appear to be floating form the actual cooking centre within the kitchen, attached to the wall. A range of handle-less wall units concludes the glazed niche at the top. LEICHT international: “Architecture and kitchen” in the centre of London. www.LeichtUSA.com