The challenge was to take a nineteenth century kitchen that looked more like a slaves quarters and turn it into something functional and pleasing to the eye.
It had a breakfast room to one side but it was isolated from the formal dining room with only a small c.22″W passthrough to the butler’s pantry. The old wealthy never entered the kitchen or co-mingled with the help who worked in there, especialy in the heat of summer. The butler’s pantry was used for storing dinner plates and for serving by the nicer help.
Where you see here a new gas range, the old kitchen had a five foot wide coal cooking oven. Just to the right of it was the pass through window where I added a pocket door to allow access to the dining room more directly.
edit- I should add that there used to be an old slate sink along the wall to the left of the new sink. I was likewise about five feet long and had three bays in it.
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Excellence is its own reward!
“The first rule is to keep an untroubled spirit.
The second is to look things in the face and know them for what they are.”
–Marcus Aurelius
Edited 1/4/2003 2:12:57 AM ET by piffin
Replies
One of the challenges was that I was not allowed to move opennings into the room. The exterior of the house (I'll do another thread showing the facade) was very symetrical. I lerarned from measuring and reducing the house to CAD that it was very precisely and mathematically laid out with a balance.
So the windows in the kitchen were a little off balance as seen inside. Galley slaves don't need niceties, I guess was the view of the old archy.
In this shot, you see a wall cabinet that I diod not originally design or build in but two years later, they had me add it for more storage and convenience, even though it impinged on the view. These wall cabs are 14" deep because they hve larger serving plates to eat off of than most of us do.
Excellence is its own reward!
"The first rule is to keep an untroubled spirit.
The second is to look things in the face and know them for what they are."
--Marcus Aurelius
I like the range...48"? Your cooks (or maybe the cleaning staff) would appreciate something on the wall that lends itself to easy cleanup behind that beautiful range. The stainless steel covered work table does impede traffic but it's a great work space.
I like your deeper upper cabinets. Most of my platters end up in lower cabinets because they're too wide. Nice country kitchen.
Brenda
thanks every one
What I'm suprised at is that no-one mentioned that there is no exhaust fan above the range. There are few of them used here because these places were built for summer use before the advent of air conditioning. Flow through ventilation with high double hyng windows on boith sides to make use of the sea breeze let the heat out pretty well.
Those countertops are Corian Solid Surface. We considered Stainless Steel for next to the stove. Never thought about behind it! I might mention it some day..
Excellence is its own reward!
"The first rule is to keep an untroubled spirit.
The second is to look things in the face and know them for what they are."
--Marcus Aurelius
Thought maybe you had a downdraft vent, couldn't tell from the pics...my eyesight's been gone for awhile. It's not just the heat that needs to vent, it's the "grease". Most commercial vents run into the $1000's but I recall a FHB article where an innovative and cost-minded Canuk fashioned his own custom stainless steel hood. (I can dig it out if you're interested.) There are a number of fan units available.
Brenda
That's OK. I've seen and done some custom ones too.
Of course e3veryone will enjoy seeing them.
.
Excellence is its own reward!
"The first rule is to keep an untroubled spirit.
The second is to look things in the face and know them for what they are."
--Marcus Aurelius
Edited 1/7/2003 7:45:24 PM ET by piffin
I too was wondering about the lack of range hood. Even with natural cross ventelation, don't you get a lot of grease build up on walls and cabinets, especially with high powered cooking?
Modern "enlightened" people don't fry any more.
;)
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Excellence is its own reward!
"The first rule is to keep an untroubled spirit.
The second is to look things in the face and know them for what they are."
--Marcus Aurelius
Modern "enlightened" people don't fry any more.
Darn it, I hate not being enlightened. I don't know how I'm going to break this to my wife.
You oughta see the refer if you think the range is overkill. This guy owns a chain of restaurants so he had to have heavy duty, comercial stuff. The 3/8" copper we ran for gas supply wouldn't run it very good. We had to replace it with 1". That range is considerably smaller than the one we took out though and it's probably justifiable. When they throw a dinnerparty, there is some serious cooking going on! I always make sure that I get to meet the new cook at the beginning of each season. ;)
That upper detail is unique and has a story to go with it. The old plaster ceiling was out of level by an inch or so and it had water supply pipes suspended just below it on one side of the room. I planned to lower the ceiling by five inches to level it out and hide the pipes so the crown attached at that level was intended to be the flush to ceiling trim. That was the size cabs I designed. After they were in production, the owners told me that they wanted that old ceiling left exposed to highlight the oldness so I built mini soffits to fill the space and trimed them with the same bedmold in the balance of the room.
Everybody loved it and the cooks he hires every year tell me that it is a good kitchen to work in for layout. Of course, the view helps.
The photos were taken with a 35 SLR and printed pretty good but I had them put on floppy too. They view as very dark - almost impossible to view - so I lightened them in a program. I think that the way that Irfanview lightens them is to remove darker pixels by whatever percentage the slidebar control indicates and leave lighter ones because the filesizes get smaller and the pictures get washed out when I do this to them. Makes it look like a foggy day..
Excellence is its own reward!
"The first rule is to keep an untroubled spirit.
The second is to look things in the face and know them for what they are."
--Marcus Aurelius
Edited 1/4/2003 12:08:57 AM ET by piffin
Pif,
Send me some of these in the original, darker form. I'd like to dink with them a bit.
Quittin' Time
Piffin, are you allowed to use copper pipe/ tubing for your natural/propane gas runs? You mentioned that you had to go to 1 inch pipe, was that still copper, or, as I'am thinking, probaly black iron gas pipe? About 25 years ago they, Local Authorities outlawed the use of copper for gas runs, here in Arizona. Are gas drip legs required in your neck of the woods ? Be safe out there, Jim J ps .. I like the way your mind works piffin
Thanks, Some people don't even think my mind works, others wonder why it works, and still others can't begin to grasp how it works.
;)
The original lines we installed ( my gas man, not me ) were 3/8" soft copper which was still allowed about 4-5 years ago here. Then after a year, the cooks were always complaining that they couldn't get enough poop out of the stove when using several burners, I had the Manufacturers (I think it was Viking but would have to check to be sure) service guy come out. He replaced a couple of ignitors as a factory recal item but that wasn't it. Then he got to looking and discovered that it was only 3/8" line supplying it and told me that it wouldn't carry the volumn needed to feed the beast for the 36' distance we were running from the propane tanks. He recommended going to at least 3/4" black pipe, minimum.
I got a hold of my gas guy and he said that copper had been disallowed by now and he was going to running all SS Flex coated so that's what we did in 1".
Some things you learn by experience. I rely on good subs to take care of me for the most part. This guy was new to the business and there isn't much competition in that line on an island. You oughta see the Coast Gaurd rules for getting fuel out here! It actually took an act of congress sponsoredd by our rep to get a change making it possible to transport propane to us..
Excellence is its own reward!
"The first rule is to keep an untroubled spirit.
The second is to look things in the face and know them for what they are."
--Marcus Aurelius
I want you to talk about where you are because of what my brother told me about the islands up there . He told me he was putting on a roof [Marthas Vineyard] in the winter with a storm comming in about 6 days out . He told me that the water in the air with the waves lapping at the bank was unbearable in cold weather. Thats why he left . He was making fabulous money and had a great clientel, he just could not stand the winters. [ He said he could feel moisture forming on him ]
Tim Mooney
Winter can be a challenge where advance planning really pays off to keep from having to work outside and the better you are the more choices you have. eg someone whose only skill is operating a true temper spade or plastic snow shovel has to work out in the weather more than someone who can design/build cabinets and has the foresight to invest in equiptment to do so.
We end up tenting in sometimes for protection.
On saturday, I picked up my SR sub at the ferry first run early AM to look at job and plan it and price it. Snow storm meant nobody else was traveling and wind with chop on water meant for rough ride on water. By time we got back to the ferry slip, the captain had decided that since only two people were going over, he would rather park it. Smow was a foot deep by now and drifting with astronomica;l high tides coming to bring coastal flooding.
There was a chance my wife would be feeding an extra that night, "Put a little more water in the soup honey, we've got company" But her baby brother is a lobsterman who doesn't mind a little blow. It makes his eyes twinkle! He got Irv back over to the mainland in time for lunch and kept his wife happy.
One night a hellacious storm had the ferry shut down and we were planning for company from my crew but my lead carp had to be home for his daughter's piano recital and it was about a week before Christmass. He hired same BIL to haul him over. Had to quarter into wind way down the coast and then ran with it back up on the other side. As the boat was skimming wave tops, he got downright excited and said that he had never seen her fly before!
If you've never seen a working lobsterboat, you know they don't skim wave tops, as a general rule. They sit heavy in the water, a real heavy stable working boat when made of wood.
As far as working out in the weather goes, why want to? BTW, I saw more exciting times out in CO than here for working situations but that is another thread. Won't be here much tonight, I gotta couple permit applications to get out..
Excellence is its own reward!
"The first rule is to keep an untroubled spirit.
The second is to look things in the face and know them for what they are."
--Marcus Aurelius
Nice work, piffin, just as I expected.
They're on the way for your pleasure.
.
Excellence is its own reward!
"The first rule is to keep an untroubled spirit.
The second is to look things in the face and know them for what they are."
--Marcus Aurelius
Piffin
I like the uppers in that kitchen, man that stove is bigger than my truck!
I think I like every kitchen that doesnt look like it came from a big box store.
Good job with limited space, I like it.
Doug
PS, is that water melon I see on the table in that first pic?
Edited 1/4/2003 1:38:35 AM ET by Doug@es
I had to go back and look. It's a fruit bowl painted to look like a watermelon..
Excellence is its own reward!
"The first rule is to keep an untroubled spirit.
The second is to look things in the face and know them for what they are."
--Marcus Aurelius
Piffin,
Nice work. I'm kind of confused on the trim detail over the upper cabs. Is that a cove above and behind the crown?
Don
It is bedmold to ceiling and crown on cabinet.
See second paragraph of post 4 for reason why..
Excellence is its own reward!
"The first rule is to keep an untroubled spirit.
The second is to look things in the face and know them for what they are."
--Marcus Aurelius
I do have a digital and most photos I put up here are from it but I didn't have that camera with me last time i was at the house and had a chance to shoot.
Adding contrast or hitting sharpen sometimes makes it more crystallized looking and messes up details.
You've got me wondering now about that stove. He bought it through his industrial restaurant supply because he could save bucks and I had never bought what he wanted berfore. It is a private home - see my threads, Gazeebo, and Palladian entry in this photo gallery. It has an uncommonly special location sitting high on the spine of the island in a narrow spot so it has views of the water from east and west both.
I have other photos of some other portions of the house I rebuilt but don't post them to public viewing because of needing to protect the privacy of the owners. The exterior is a public view anyway and the kitchen to a lesser degree but still my design work there, but the bedrooms and some other areas are the sort of place certain people would not want the world to see. I respect that.
Excellence is its own reward!
"The first rule is to keep an untroubled spirit.
The second is to look things in the face and know them for what they are."
--Marcus Aurelius
Just a test. I darkened this one using the "Gamma" adjustment under the Balance options in MS PhotoEditor. Not the best editing package in the world, but one of the easiest to use.
Wow! I think that's darker than the original!
I just learned that I have a gamma control as part of Irfanview but I I still don't really know what it does. It will redarken but under what protocol?
Help tells me nothing other than how to use it, not when or why..
Excellence is its own reward!
"The first rule is to keep an untroubled spirit.
The second is to look things in the face and know them for what they are."
--Marcus Aurelius
Hmm, I haven't used infraview, so I don't know if both packages use the term "gamma" the same way. I try to manage balance by adjusting both brightness and contrast. The gamma adjustment in Photo Editor does a better job with less fuss.
Difference in monotors also have an impact on the display of images. The Kitchen image that I modified was not overly dark displayed on my monitor. Play around and see what you get.
Wasn't infraview a freebe from somewhere? I guess I should download it and play around with it a bit.
============================================
I just downloaded Irfanview. Gamma seems to do the same thing, try that next time. I certainly was as easy to do that as in PhotoEditor, resizing is also easy since it will default to proportional resizing and the cropping tool is usable. Bargain price too!
Edited 1/7/2003 9:46:57 PM ET by WFLATHER
Is this any better ?
Quittin' Time
That's nice. Still just a bit washed out on my monitor, but much better contrast.
Piffin,
View Image
Construction Forums Online!
Joe,
Really man, my digital is not too bad for $250 but these were from archived on 35mm with a floppy prepared by the developer, Clark Photo at only 72 DPI.
I shoot most jobs with both cameras but this one I onmly had the one camera that day and the older shots from when I did the work were amoung those lost in the system crash I mentioned once before.
Not too bad on your restore try but when the original hasn't got much, this is what we're stuck with..
Excellence is its own reward!
Pif,
View Image
Construction Forums Online!
Edited 1/8/2003 9:28:33 PM ET by Joe Fusco
Hey, nice job Piff, but you need to be a thin cook to work there;^}
I can't tell from here, but If the range is Viking, it is most likely 0 clearance. In the most recent kitchen I completed(see post for Cherry kitchen), the client is a pro chef/cooking school owner, and had wanted to use the stoves she already had. It was impossible to do because the industrial version of the stove required something like 10"clearance on three sides. That was a big no-go. They ended up with a 3' and a 4' Viking side by side.
Thanks.
About the skinny comment, I originaly didn't plan a center table. In my mind it just gets in the way but the lady of the house found it out in the shed and had it covered with stainless to stick in there for some reason. She said her sons like to eat snacks right in the kitchen.
Now with a breakfast room to one side and a formal dining room to the other side, I ask myself why would a young man want to eat right smack dab in the middle of the kitchen, getting in the cooks way?
Suffice it to say that these girls hired to cook manage to decorate the kitchen with their presence too..
Excellence is its own reward!
"The first rule is to keep an untroubled spirit.
The second is to look things in the face and know them for what they are."
--Marcus Aurelius
>> ... right smack dab in the middle of the kitchen, getting in the cooks way?
That's why. You know how young men are about games, and the game you play in a small kitchen is space invaders.
I thought the pics were pretty good for around here as most are in the dark . I hate that because of my slow loading and then I cant even see the pis that is posted . That also causes me to look no more when it happens .
I was caught by the stove also and it stands out in my mind as wow.
Nice work.
So, do you ask your clients for permission to post on here ? I had never thought about it to be honest , but I thought it was a nice gesture to ask them . Shows class to say the least. I think Ive been here five years now and Ive never heard it mentioned until now .
Tim Mooney
I mention to them that I'll post some to get assistance and advice re whatever area I'm dealing with and I don't use names. I work for some very wealthy and sometimes well known people who would not want the insides of their homes displayed for all the world to look into, especially without special cleaning and preparation. I have shots of some great master bedrooms and bathrooms that have never been seen because I would look at that as an invasion of privacy and so would they. A kitchen is a gathering, work, and delivery space that many pepp[le see daily, as is the view from the road.
The dining room just off from this kitchen is museum quality stuff. When I first started posting here, I got a not from Andy E asking, "Who the heck are you? I see your name all over the boards at BT." So I sent him a couple shots of the dining room marked 'not for publication' just so he could see that the quality of my work matched the quality of my posts here and sort of help establish my self.
This same owner has had their home in another state professionally photographed and published. that implies to me that they might consider similar but would want to control how and where because of the image thing. They might not want it published in the same mag that does a spread on "remodeling mobile homes", for instance!
LOL
It all boils down to the golden rule..
Excellence is its own reward!
"The first rule is to keep an untroubled spirit.
The second is to look things in the face and know them for what they are."
--Marcus Aurelius
" They might not want it published in the same mag that does a spread on "remodeling mobile homes", for instance! "
If I was typing up another Andy Roonie , it would have to be in there .
Tim Mooney