This Old House – September 2019

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The Colorful Kitchen

Time was, adding color to the kitchen—this one, ABOVE,

belongs to TOH’s 1890s “shotgun double” house in pre-

Katrina New Orleans—meant painting the walls a pretty pale

hue. The lavender used here, combined with pickled-oak

cabinets, black appliances, and granite-look gray laminate

countertops, was pretty avant-garde for 1991.

But compare it with 2014’s Charlestown kitchen, TOP,

and it’s easy to see the move toward richer colors and

materials, including hand-painted and glazed deep-blue

cabinetry, marble countertops, and warm brass finishes.

Bumped out and opened up, the 2014 kitchen was of the

moment while also nodding to the 1850 rowhouse’s past,

with flat-panel cabinet doors, globe pendant lights, and a

sculptural high-arc faucet. As for the flooring, meet the latest

durable exotic-wood import, Brazilian cumaru, which is

cozied up with traditional Oriental rugs for a living room feel.

THEN | NEW ORLEANS (1991)

NOW

|

CHARLESTOWN (2014)

Timeless trio

Highlighted here: three decades-old

kitchens that look just as current today

BILLERICA (1999) What makes this Victorian-

inspired kitchen’s time-tested look a success:

Shaker-style fir cabinets, open shelving, an

island wrapped in beadboard and accented with

legs, stone counters, and pro-style appliances.

SANTA FE (1989) This space reflects its

traditional adobe home. Built by Norm Abram

with local craftsmen, the pale pine cabinets

flatter traditional plaster walls and beams. The

marble and stainless steel are still up-to-date.

ACTON (1994) This classic farmhouse kitchen,

with its warm cherry cabinetry, wide-plank

salvaged-pine floors, honed-granite counters,

and stainless-steel appliances, still looks ready

for prime time, 25 years after it was built.

24 THISOLDHOUSE.COM SEPTEMBER/OCTOBER 2019 40 YEARS

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then + now | kitchen