Kitchen Extension

This project involved my own house in the St. George neighborhood on the North Shore of Staten Island. The principal goals were twofold; to update and upgrade the kitchen and to expand the size of the kitchen by removing a 12-foot wide portion of the rear wall of the house and extending the footprint approximately 11 feet into the back yard. The overall size of the kitchen was thus doubled, from approximately 150sf to 300sf, creating a breakfast room area. The existing space was completely gutted down to the joists and studs and all new appliances and cabinetry installed. The goal for the design of the extension was to provide as much light and openness as possible, so that the beauty of the gardens in the back yard and the views of the Manhattan and Brooklyn Heights and the New York Harbor could be maximized. The house is a 1905 Victorian/Colonial hybrid. Wide plank white oak was chosen for the flooring as well as for the countertop space to provide a warmth to the space. Shaker style cabinets were selected to provide a modern, but not overly modern, look. The design of the breakfast room addition was made with an eye toward placing windows as close as possible to one another so as to provide maximum light into the space. French doors allow for an exit to the backyard and onto a deck that has not yet been built.