The Kitchen
Entering the kitchen from the dining room, you pass through the original swinging door that went into the butler’s pantry. This area covered the area that the eating area in the kitchen now houses. There was a opening between the butler's pantry and the kitchen ara enabling the kitchen maid to pass prepared dishes through for the butler to serve in the Dining Room. There was a recessed drawers unit, where linens were stored, along the inside wall. This drawer unit was removed for the niche to be created on the stairway landing on the other side of the wall.
As you enter the kitchen from the Dining Room you immediately see the vast area of this room.
View from the Dining Room.
A small aquarium sets on the counter. A neighbor's child asked George to babysit his three goldfish for him for a week and they are still here waiting for him after 3 years.
The door to the outside from the butler's pantry was an old solid door and George replaced this with a glass-paneled door and reconstructed the frame. This doorway leads directly to the back yard.
Door to the back yard.
A large picture window was installed to provide a view of the rose garden and exterior window plant boxes. The low radiator sets underneath it. It was moved from the kitchen area. The wall between the butler’s pantry and the main kitchen was removed to expand it into one large room. A steel beam was installed to support the roof. It has been framed, three recessed light fixtures installed and wallpapered to accent the raised ceiling.
(Please excuse the camera flash)
All of the cabinets on the interior and exterior wall are the original cabinets. The paint was stripped, however, two of the doors had to be taken to be professionally dipped to remove the layers and layers of paint. The cabinets on the exterior wall were modified to provide for the dishwasher and larger two section sink with disposal. A pull out cutting board was incorpoated. All of the countertops were replaced.
High slide-up windows over the sink and counter.
The kitchen sink has a faucet that extends and with a push button adjusts to spray to wash off dishes into the garbage disposal. Cleanser has never been used on this sink to keep its high luster.
Kitchen sink with disposal
Interior wall of kitchen. The doorway leads to landing
for the stairs to the basement and side exit.
The woodwork on the door going to the basement had so many coats of paint on it that it had to be professionally dipped to remove the paint layers before it could be reinstalled and painted.
Originally the west wall (where the refrigerator stands) had a woodburning cooking stove and the stairway entrance up to the maid’s room. The stairway was redesigned during the duplex years. The stove obviously was replaced through the years. The chimney goes directly up through the Maid's Bedroom and it explains the history of the now non-used chimney.
All of the old electrical wiring was torn out. New switches and fixtures were installed ncluding three recessed lights over the sink area, three recessed lights in the soffet over the eating area, ceiing fan with light and hanging fixture in the eating area. Wall switches for lighting were installed at both ends of the kitchen. Power for the garbage disposal, exhaust fan were installed over the counter.. Convenient outlets were placed over the counters and on the island. Tile spash area was installed aalong the sink cabinet area and over the cabinets on the interior wall. All plumbing was replaced, including lines to the refrigerator for the icemaker and cold water. A gas line was installed for the stove.
Dishwaher is located to the right of the sink.
George designed the center island that hosts additional storage areas and houses a Wolf six burner commercial gas stove. The cabinet next to the stove has two pull out shelves for housing pots and pans. The raised eating area on the end, creats an informal eating area that seats four people. We’ve enjoyed this area immensely.
Back of kitchen island.
The shelf that holds the spices over the stove is removeable - just lifts off - for easy cleaning of the back of the stove area.
Wolf commercial six burner gas stove.
Front of island stove area and sink cabinets.
The floors were a major project. The lenoleum was removed and beneath it the flooring was in terrible condition. It was all torn out and replaced with new flooring. The commercial grade of black and white vinyl floor tile was installed for durability and beauty. The black and white print washable wallpaper accents the black and white theme that this kitchen originally held. Black and white wall tile found inside the cabinets on the walls are the original and the basis of the color theme for this room. The high windows over the sink and picture window overlooking the rose garden and flower boxes invites the outdoors to be a part of this room.
Ceiling molding frame the kitchen in both areas with the soffet between, defining the high ceilings. The ceilings are wallpapered in a strong durable textured white wallpaper that everyone comments about. The ceiling fan is mounted over the island.
George is a gourmet cook and an easy-working kitchen with lots of storage space is any cook’s dream. It is unusual to have a man design a kitchen that is so easy to work in without hanging pots and pans from the ceiling.
Originally an odd shaped door closed off the kitchen from a small hallway. George removed the door and it is open through to the hallway. The door on the right is now a food pantry constructed under the stairway. Walking through the alcove takes you to the hallway, where a door to the left leads you to the powder room that you will be visiting next.
Door to pantry.
Kitchen doorway to landing to the back door.
Tiarabella's Downstairs Powder
Room
Unless you want to go all the way upstairs or down in the basement, you're welcome to powder your nose admist our mini greenhouse - a feature loved by guests!