How to give your kitchen a farmhouse industrial look

Classic Heritage (pg 64)

Classic heritage

If a change is as good as a rest, then maybe a tweak is as good as a reno. It certainly was in this Paris, Ont., kitchen. “We didn’t need to change the kitchen’s footprint,” says Susan Burns, the design consultant who oversaw the transformation. “We just needed to reconfigure the cabinetry to make the most of the space.”

Homeowners Debbie Ellen and Alan Monkhouse, parents of daughter Lia, 8, agreed. “The kitchen looked okay but didn’t function well,” says Debbie. “We wanted to improve its utility, make it more family-friendly and update it while still respecting its 1888 heritage.”

Photography, Robin Stubbert

Making Statements

With that in mind, Shaker-style upper cabinets were extended upward, a small corner cabinet was replaced with a floor-to-ceiling version complete with pull-out pantry shelves, and the kitchen table was nixed. “The table was just another surface away from the food- prep area,” says Debbie. “We sacrificed it for a bigger central island with seating, and we don’t miss it at all.” Indeed, the island is now the heart of the kitchen, which also opens onto the family room. “I can make lunch here, while Alan watches golf on TV and Lia draws pictures — and we’re all together.”

Statement lighting

“There’s ample pot lighting in the kitchen, but the pendant lamp and filament lights act like jewellery in the room,” says design consultant Susan Burns. “They are great focal points, but you can still see through them to take in all of the kitchen’s details.”

Open shelving

If you can spare the space for display shelves, Susan says go for it. “We all have stuff in the kitchen we hardly use. I always ask my clients to do some editing before the transformation — this usually frees up a space for open shelves.”

Multi-functional island

Forgo a kitchen table. Debbie says, “Before, we had a table as well as a small island. Getting rid of it meant more floor space, and now we use the island for everything: informal buffet-style entertaining, surfing my iPad for recipes and a place for Lia to paint, make art projects and write stories.”

Kid friendly

Susan designed a deeper-than-average island with Lia in mind. “There are cupboards on either side. One is a pull-out that stores small appliances, and the other is officially Lia’s. It holds her cereals, snacks and dishes so she can help herself.”

Smart storage

The first item on Debbie’s kitchen wish list was assigned storage for waste and recycling. Susan built proper pull-outs for both on the side of the island that faces the stove. She says, “They’re hidden from view but make food prep and cleanup so much easier.”

Flea market finds

Avoid a uniform look by having interesting accessories. “The open shelves are made of reclaimed wood from a 180-year-old Mennonite house,” says Susan. “The brackets are vintage. Both add a dynamic layer to the brand new subway tiles while referencing the home’s 19th-century heritage.”

CHE14_Kitchens_Paris7