Old World Kitchen Charm

In the 1920s, families were city dwellers, offering the breadwinner access to public transportation to work.  Cities can be extremely hot and stuffy in the summer months (before air conditioning), so many families have summer homes in the outlying counties.  This home was built for just that purpose, so the wife and children could enjoy the cool breezes and the landscaped backyards while hubby visited on the weekends.

Our client purchased this home, which was built in 1928 and has a lot of history. This particular home has seen many families come and go throughout its history, each placing their stamp upon it.  In all the remodels the house has undergone, the kitchen has not been updated for a long time.  The clients wanted a functional, historic kitchen remodel worthy of this extraordinary home. Also note the faux marble look, which is stucco struck with charcoal.

Historic Kitchen Remodel

The current owner had remodeled their home, restoring much of it to its original glory. It was time to remodel the kitchen to reflect the old-world charm. Choosing the green DuraSupreme custom-colored perimeter cabinetry created an aesthetic that fits the age of the house, as does the Cherry-mocha stained island. Hiding the GE Monogram side-by-side refrigerator behind matching cabinet door panels gives the kitchen a more historic look and feel. Like the painted white walls and coordinating white polished quartz countertops that brighten the kitchen. The custom-created exhaust hood became the kitchen’s centerpiece.

The show-stopper is the meticulously installed white oak hardwood flooring in a herringbone pattern. Keeping the original fireplace nestled in this kitchen remodel adds to the old-world charm and creates a cozy dining area.

Mudroom Bump Out

In remodeling the kitchen, our homeowners took advantage of an existing open porch and converted it into a small adjacent mudroom. Most old homes have unique features, and this one is no exception. To keep a porch feel, we used brick herringbone flooring that emulates the kitchen’s flooring pattern.

Historic Home Remodeling Challenges

Remodeling homes nearly one hundred years old can offer unique challenges as walls, ceilings, and floors are removed.  Many of these homes have plaster walls and need to be gently handled. To share a little history, some included actual horsehair mixed in! Horsehair plaster is a fascinating relic of traditional construction.  Once, it was a key material used in building walls and ceilings of homes.  This mixture was composed of lime, sand, and water and reinforced with horsehair, offering a durable material.

In this remodel, we found a load-bearing wall directly in the center of the kitchen.  Wanting the space to be open and offer space for an island, per the new design, the wall needed removing.  We had to set a structural beam into the ceiling to create a clean and open space but still support the three floors above of old timber and a heavy roof.  Over our 40-plus years in business, we have found that “old” means challenging, and this remodel fits the bill.

If you have a historic home that needs an update, contact us.   Our vast experience in remodeling the Baltimore Metro area offers a promise of expertise that is hard to find. Also, check out another remodel we completed for this client, their master suite, and other rooms in our web post, Historic Home Remodel.

Additional Photos

Enjoy reading our post, Historic Remodeling Ideas: How To Modernize A Historic Home.