A chandelier from RTO Lighting illuminates the custom island, where Theodore Alexander stools offer cozy seating.
A Fulgor Milano range is situated against a Walker Zanger subway-tile backsplash.
Brass Vesta knobs and pulls pop against the white and green cabinetry.
Adam Kane Macchia and his wife, Jenny Strandberg, were searching for a new home for some time when they found this charming Fairfield cape with good bones. Architectural designer Jesse Held, owner of J.R. Held & Co., and interior designer Sarah Robertson, founder and principal of Studio Dearborn, both saw the home’s potential, but the kitchen was plopped in the middle of the layout with no windows and outdated cabinetry.
“Something that Adam, Jenny and I discussed early in the planning phase was that the house had incredible natural flow through the spaces,” Held explains. “The issue wasn’t the scale or size of the rooms; it was where each one was located in relation to the other, requiring a bit of a shake up.” So, he reoriented the spaces within the existing footprint to improve the home’s flow. Now, the mudroom leads into the kitchen, which connects to the dining room and living room beyond. “The spaces feel open, bright and full of charm,” Held says of the result.
Robertson capitalized on this new flow with a vintage-inspired design full of custom details and antique finds. The island was inspired by antique furniture, so the designer elevated it from the floor and discreetly installed the sink and dishwasher. “Then, we brought in brass accents, a foot rail and curved sides to make it feel lighter,” she adds. “It feels like a piece they brought in from outside and made new again.”
A pop of green cabinetry evokes the feel of a traditional china cabinet, and Robertson wrapped the whole room in crackled Walker Zanger subway tile for cohesiveness and a vintage aesthetic. “It feels like an authentic vintage kitchen,” she notes, adding that the ceiling detail was inspired by a Swedish kitchen. “Jenny is Swedish, and it felt unique to bring in those shadow lines; Adam appreciates them so much as a photographer.”
Thanks to the change in layout, Robertson says the new “Rubik’s cube” of the design fits perfectly together. Finally, she carefully oriented the prep space so that it faces the rest of the home, instead of a wall. “When you’re standing at the kitchen island and doing dishes, you’re not looking at a window—you’re looking at the rest of the house and watching your family come and go,” Macchia says. “The new layout has been a blessing.”