Parlor Kitchen #8: Clinton Hill Charmer
Today’s entry on the parlor kitchen thread comes from a neighbor of ours in Clinton Hill. We’ve been in this place and it’s gorgeous. Here’s what the owner had to say: We had to do a gut renovation of our entire house when we bought it. We lived in our rental unit on the garden…
Today’s entry on the parlor kitchen thread comes from a neighbor of ours in Clinton Hill. We’ve been in this place and it’s gorgeous. Here’s what the owner had to say:
We had to do a gut renovation of our entire house when we bought it. We lived in our rental unit on the garden level before even deciding upon a kitchen. Boy, did we change our minds a lot. We went from white cabinets, to green cabinets to finally going for walnut cabinets. We were always planning on stainless appliances, however, but the counters were another story. The 3-inch depth was a definite and we wanted something in a light color. We eventually decided on the Carrera for several reasons: first, because it’s light, second, because it matched our fireplace mantels throughout the house and, finally, because we LOVE the way that they age.(There is a wine stain from one raucous party and every time we see it we smile.) The walnut cabinets go with our stairs and floor details. We wanted to maintain some sense of the old with our modern kitchen. Our appliances are from Drimmer’s on Coney Island Avenue. The cabinet knobs are from Gracious Homes. The faucet fixture is Dornbracht from Simon’s. The cabinets are semi-custom. P.S. The doors out to the garden are industrial doors like you would see on a bodega, the lights are from DWR as is the table and the chairs are originals.
Do other people think wine stains add character, too?
Ideas for the Parlor Floor Kitchen? [Brownstoner]
Parlor Kitchen #1: Architect-Designed in The Slope [Brownstoner]
Parlor Kitchen #2: Contractor’s Own Kitchen [Brownstoner]
Parlor Floor Kitchen #3: Jeffrey’s 35-Footer [Brownstoner]
Parlor Kitchen #4: Spreading Out in a 22-Footer [Brownstoner]
Parlor Kitchen #5: Where the Party’s At [Brownstoner]
Parlor Kitchen #6: Modern in Prospect Heights [Brownstoner]
Parlor Kitchen #7: Doing It On The Cheap [Brownstoner]
Great job, owner. We are thinking of redoing our kitchen and really loved the way yours turned out. What architect did you use?
Owner here, thanks for your comments and here are my responses:
1. Not having a vent has never been a problem, we just open the doors or the transoms. We didn’t want another big industrial item in the kitchen–a hood. But as my Mother always, says “to each their own”.
2. The glass is frosted, we like the way they look and aren’t bothered that the interiors “match” as the architect mentioned. We live here it isn’t a magazine.
3. The bodega doors are “custom”, I guess. They come and measure and make them. They are insulated enough for us, we have a fireplace in the kitchen and in the winter that is going; the stove is baking bread or pizza (thanks to my very busy 8 year old daughter) and we shut the pocket doors for a warm cozy feeling. I think that if it were any hotter, we just might suffocate.
4. In fact, the lights ARE from DWR. But we got them many years before we even had the house–they are “vintage DWR” and are no longer sold their. Sorry.
5. There is a step up to the terrace, never been a problem for us.
6. We chose 3 inch depth (white Carrera)
because we LOVED/LOVE the way it looks. Unfortunately, can’t remember who did it. A little place in Brooklyn.
7. Semi custom means that some on stock and the others made. The big tall ones were made to fit the kitchen.
8. The tile is actually crackled–it looks nice, can’t tell in the photos. The wide space between the cabinets above the stove, is actually very good for us, because we have A LOT of artwork (thanks to my sculptor husband) and we need some wall that is not covered with art.
Thanks everyone.
Owner
i love it! it’s the proportion of the cabinets to the height of the room … almost cathedral-like, which is a perfect foil to the (semi) modern aesthetic, that floats me boat.
LOVE the subway tiles. the door and transom are so utterly unobtrusive that they almost melt away.
what JEF said – “The modern vibe with the traditional materials’ – yup.
LOVE IT!
suzy the guest
This is my least favorite of the “expensive” kitchens features here.
I think the blank spot over the range is awkward, there does not appear to be enough counter space, and those big funny light fixtures are just odd in a residential kitchen.
I love the window in the back with the tilting transom, very cool.
I like to have a portion of the counter made of marble, for dough, it really helps. But why have the entire counter made of marble? it isn’t a greek temple, and marble is hard to keep clean, tomato sauce and meat gravy stain it, cans and stoneware scratch it, its just not a great counter surface, except for show.
but it is good for show, it looks beautiful contrasted with dark wood.
the cabinetry is beautiful… love the
gorgeous wood grain, nd the contrast with the counter tops … so lovely.
the white tile behind the stove makes for an easy clean up, and with the transom you have great ventilation.
love this series… and thanks to all the homeowners for sharing a peek at your lovely kitchens!
This is obviously a nice kitchen, but personally I think it has a few off-notes:
• the dark wood (walnut here, but often “wenge”) plus white counter look is trendy-dated, to my mind
• the lack of a hood is aesthetically nice but impractical, given the horsepower of that range
• the obscure glass in the cabinets, while a good idea, reveal one problem: the shelves and interiors of the cabinets can be seen to be just maple. I might have chosen to stain the interiors (though maple takes a stain poorly) or used a different, textured glass
Love the transom and the 3″ thick counters are to die for.
–an architect in Brooklyn
Like this kitchen’s owner, we chose to have high wall cabinets instead of a big ole vent going across the top of the wall to the outside. We needed the storage more than the venting. The window is two feet from the stove and not a problem to open. We’re living with it just fine! And love having the storage.
Very nice indeed
Beautiful.
I think the range hood is a (functional, not code) necessity over a high powered range if there’s cabinets above it. Here they’ve left the space open to the top. Different – but certainly works.
Aside from the obvious, where does one get a bodega door from?