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Text by Mary Forsell •
Styled by Kathy Curotto
It was only a matter of time. With two kitchen
renovations already under her belt before HOME COMPANION launched a decade ago,
executive editor Barbara Elliott Martin was ready for a third redo that would
finally give her the mix of efficiency and comfort she craved. After living many years in a late 19th-century
Georgian-style house in St. Louis with husband Bud and their two daughters,
Barbara’s idea of the perfect kitchen had evolved. Each renovation kept pace
with the family’s changing lifestyle.
“The first redo occurred within a year of moving in
and was fairly streamlined—plain countertops and Mexican tile,” she says.
“During the second, 15 years later, we took down three walls that divided a
butler’s pantry, mudroom, and kitchen, and made it one big space. I worked with
an architect and a structural engineer on that one.”
This time, Barbara didn’t want drastic changes. “My
white-on-white kitchen was starting to seem cold. I wanted to create a
comfortable space where you’d actually enjoy spending time.”
She didn’t rush the process. “For two years, my day
planner was bulging with snippets from kitchen magazines and the internet, as
well as sketches from my own imagination,” she says. “I also had the advantage
of finding inspiration at work.”
(a) Extra-thick countertops mimic concrete. An
off-center prep sink frees workspace. (b) White-on-white was OK… for a
while.
(c) Warm touches like vintage tile
abound. (d) Sage green island cabinets add softness. (e) Wall-mounted plasma TV can be
viewed from any angle. (f) A paper shredder, a must-have accessory for
kitchen office nooks, slides back behind a cabinet door.
A lot had been accomplished during the previous
renovation. “The basic work triangle was already efficient,”
says Barbara, “so
the stove and fridge stayed in the same location. We
just moved the island
slightly and added a prep sink plus a small
undercounter refrigerator and
beverage center.”
While all too many kitchen renovations in older homes
seem grating,
Barbara’s has the bells and whistles of current technology but in
an
understated way. “I wanted an efficient kitchen, but it had to be in keeping
with the rest of the house,” she says.
Stainless steel is at a minimum. Comfortable seating
welcomes guests
and family alike. Soft colors play off the natural warmth of
wood. The
Martins opted for custom-built maple cabinets highlighted with
reproduction hardware, as well as appliances with integrated wood
covers. Walls
and island cabinets are painted sage green to relieve the
visual monotony of too
much wood. “My mantra was ‘gentle modern.’”
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