Project Detail
Inset Cabinetry: The Character-Defining Decision
The most important specification decision in this renovation was choosing a full inset face-frame cabinet construction. Unlike standard overlay cabinetry — where doors and drawers sit on top of the face frame — inset construction has doors and drawers fitted flush within the frame opening, with hand-fitted margins at every edge. It is slower to build and more expensive, but it produces a result that looks like furniture rather than cabinetry. The program is Woodmode in an off-white milk paint finish with exposed face frame.
Marble and Period Details
The countertop is honed Carrara marble — the only countertop material that feels genuinely appropriate in a kitchen of this period. The backsplash is a classic 3x6 white subway tile in a traditional running bond with grey sanded grout. The sink is a Rohl farmhouse apron sink in fireclay white. The faucet is an unlacquered brass bridge faucet — unlacquered, so it will develop a natural patina over time rather than maintaining a uniform brass sheen.
Appliances: Integrated Without Compromise
The refrigerator is a panel-ready Sub-Zero column fully concealed behind an inset-style panel matching the cabinetry. The dishwasher is also panel-matched. The range is an AGA Legacy in cream enamel — a dual-fuel range with a classic English character that is entirely appropriate for the house's provenance. A custom hood surround in painted MDF with crown molding profiles consistent with the kitchen millwork frames the range.