When our clients approached us with the idea of completely revamping a historical schoolhouse, we jumped at the chance to renovate this space without sacrificing any of the charm and history that drew this family to the space. Given the age of the structure (at the time of renovation the schoolhouse was almost 130 years old) there were definitely hurdles and considerations to think about to preserve the integrity of the original elements while still ensuring that the renovated spaces would stand the test of time. Our designer, Christie Best, worked with Lea Wood Co. and Ambrosio Construction to bring this vision to life. Here’s how we did it:
Before The Renovation:
As you can see from the images below, we were starting from scratch with this kitchen renovation. The wooden cabinetry had become warped over time, the tiling on the floor was extremely stained, and the appliances were outdated.
Our Approach:
The most important request from our client was to save the 130-year old original flooring that sat under a layer of linoleum tiling. Pictured below, you can see the initial process of removing the tiles (which were stuck down with adhesive) while causing minimal damage to the floors. Before any renovations begun, our team, in partnership with John Ambrosio of Ambrosio Construction, removed the tiling and restored the hardwood, after which point our design team tackled the kitchen renovation.
Design Choices:
Cabinetry:
The kitchen space in this Lynden Schoolhouse only had one window, and because the flooring was already so dark, our design team wanted to brighten up the space to let more light in.
Two-tone kitchen cabinetry was used to ensure that there wasn’t as stark of a contrast between the dark flooring and the lighter upper cabinetry. We also added glass kitchen cabinetry with up lighting to brighten the space and showcase this family’s statement items.
To compliment the flooring, we also added some dark wood floating shelves to keep the space cohesive.
Backsplash:
To keep the kitchen from looking too modern compared to the rest of the house, we chose a mismatched tile backsplash that keeps the kitchen looking light and modern while still attaining that rustic lived-in vibe.
Hardware:
Weathered brass and dark metal were design elements that were featured throughout the house, so we wanted to pull all of that into the kitchen, choosing rustic shapes and mismatched knobs across the kitchen to keep things interesting.
This renovation was one of the oldest homes we have ever worked on! It took some creativity to ensure that all of the elements worked together, but we couldn’t be more pleased with the results! If you’re thinking about renovating your kitchen, but aren’t sure where to start, contact us here. Our team of designers and partners are experts in making your kitchen dreams a reality.