Transitional Rowhouse Kitchen with LaCornue in Washington, D.C.

Designed by Sarah Turner

Built in 1892, this 124 year old row house had seen its share of renovations, leaving the existing kitchen with a slew of dated, mismatched materials. 

The kitchen was poorly insulated and cold. Originally, it was a screened-in porch with a brick wall, which was the back of the dining room fireplace. There was a wall of two story floor-to-ceiling windows that allowed for lots of natural light but limited the usable wall space.

In our first design meeting this client had a clear objective, to make the outside more accessible, eliminate wasted space and provide more storage. We solved this by adding a pair of large French doors, raising a window to allow for more counter space and eliminated the heavy window trim. 

The focal point of the kitchen is undoubtedly the La Cornue range. We emphasized the range with a custom built hood in matching stainless and copper. The cabinetry is light and the existing brick wall is minimized with paint in a complimentary color. 

For storage, we brought the wall cabinets down to the countertops and equipped them with outlets to hide away small appliances. To the left of the sink, a door folds and slides out of the way to reveal a coffeemaker and tea warmer. 

Reducing the size of a floor-to-ceiling window made space to move the sink to a side wall. This gives the cook a view of the backyard while freeing up space for a casual eat-in space in the sink’s former location. The wall opposite the sink now contains the pantry, with plenty of storage behind doors, and the refrigerator freezer, which is flanked by a tall, slim wine refrigerator.

To contrast with the sparkling range and hood, we finished the Magna Gold granite with a rustic leathered texture. The new kitchen has a touch of elegance that connects it with the rest of the home’s décor.