Creating an Open Kitchen and Dining Room

Materials and the sequence of the job sit together on this page.

Older homes, especially the really old 100-year kind of homes, have such natural charm that our modern homes just don’t have. But the trade-off for that charm can be small cramped rooms. Our guests today did an memorable job transforming a small kitchen area and a separate dining area into a striking modern open kitchen and dining room that still matches all the other charm of the home:

Keep reading for all the details and before-and-afters of Laurel’s vivid space, and take a stroll down memory lane to look at these renovations we’ve shared where the homeowners had to get brave and take down a wall to create the open kitchen space of their dreams:

That’s My Letter featured on Bekob

Cape 27 featured on Bekob

Stable Living featured on Bekob

lovetodecor8 featured on Bekob

Here’s Laurel with all the striking details of her New Englander open kitchen and dining room:

Creating an Open Kitchen and Dining Room in an 1892 New Englander
by Laurel of SoPo Cottage

I’m Laurel and I have a passion for renovating old houses. My husband and I have done it many times in our own homes, but now we want to see if we can turn that passion into a business model. Are we crazy? Maybe, but we want to give it a try. Through our home renovation blog, I share our experiences as we renovate and decorate these houses for today’s modern lifestyle. And you’ll find out whether I need to go back to my old day job!  

When we first looked at this antique, 1892 home, we knew the kitchen/dining room had lots of potential. But taking potential to reality is a big undertaking!

• The pluses – it had a big beam going across the center, antique pine floors (under decades old, mauve carpeting), and a large adjacent room that had been used for storage.  
• The challenges – a busy traffic pattern, several doorways and windows, structural issues, insulation problems, and a furnace flue that stuck out into the space, making it difficult for cabinet placement.

 

Kitchen ‘Before’

Kitchen Plan – We looked at multiple layouts (open this for details), but decided opening up the wall between the two rooms would increase dining space and kitchen space. We had hoped to put an island in the kitchen, but after seeing how narrow it would be, opted instead to keep the incredibly efficient ‘U’ shape for the workspace. We widened the U, to provide more space for multiple cooks and created a big peninsula that incorporated seating. That way you can chat with the cook or eat a casual meal. We used black granite, so the counters are hard working as well as striking.   We also wanted to have lots of storage in the kitchen, so we added these cabinets, reminiscent of furniture hutches, and a window seat on the far wall. The glass cabinets let you display striking pieces, while the counter space provides more work space – or buffet space for a party! We used wood butcher block tops to provide more of a ‘furniture’ feel and linkage to the antique beam across the ceiling. Finally, we used corbels under the cabinets and window seat to provide a decorative touch and increased support.  

Kitchen ‘Before’

 

Modern Kitchen with Antique Details

Dining Room Plan – The new dining room also had some major changes. We removed the old, steep staircase from the back of the room and added a mudroom and powder room next to the back door – but still kept lots of space for dining. We replaced the leaky old windows with new, energy efficient ones. And we did critical behind the walls work – structural upgrades, electrical and insulation. Finally, we got rid of the florescent work lights and installed recessed lighting and a new pendant chandelier.

Demo Day – look at the old dining room light fixtures!

Special Touches – And while we made many changes, we kept all of the vintage features that we loved about these rooms. The big beam in the kitchen stayed – and we created a chalkboard with a reclaimed wood frame from some wood we found during demolition. The corner hutch, which we think is original to the house, is still there. And we kept all of the wood floors that were in the house ( open this to see how the flooring was restored).     We also added some new, contemporary touches to the space. The backsplash has a vertical glass accent, that adds sparkle to the space. And we splurged on some of the light fixtures. Don’t you love the unique blend of old and new that they lend to the space? And the stainless steel appliances are incredibly durable, but also have a sleek look to them.   The Result – We had an ‘It’s Finished’ party to celebrate the completion and test out the space. We we thrilled with how well the space flowed and accommodated a crowd (after all, when you have a party, everyone wants to be in the kitchen!). It’s a great design with great functionality. All in all, we are really excited with how this space came out!    Resources:

• Kitchen Cabinets – Martha Stewart Cabinets from Home Depot
• Accordion Pendant Light – Pottery Barn
• Dining Room Pendant – Lowes
• Paint Color – Benjamin Moore, Green Cast
• Wood Counter Tops – IKEA

Want to see more? Here are links to two of our completed projects:  1930’s Cottage and 1940’s Ranch to Colonial. 

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Thanks so much for sharing, Laurel! I think you are safe without your old day job — wonderful work!

If you want to see more of Laurel’s old home transformations, pay her a visit over at SoPo Cottage.