Kitchen of the Week: The Making of an Arts and Crafts Kitchen
Richly stained wood cabinets and millwork honor an iconic style that rarely extended into the kitchen
Architect Suzie Van Cleave faced a big problem when tasked with creating an Arts and Crafts kitchen for her clients in Shorewood, Wisconsin. The kitchen style she was going for didn’t really exist. “There wasn’t such a thing as an Arts and Crafts kitchen,” she says. “Living and dining rooms were always very detailed in typical Arts and Crafts homes, but kitchens were closed off and never had any details. They were perfunctory, utilitarian spaces.”
So to create a kitchen from scratch that felt as if it belonged inside the early-1910s Arts and Crafts home, Van Cleave took inspiration from the big brackets and overhangs on the exterior, and the intricate trim, millwork and stained glass inside. The gorgeous result is something that should set a precedent.
So to create a kitchen from scratch that felt as if it belonged inside the early-1910s Arts and Crafts home, Van Cleave took inspiration from the big brackets and overhangs on the exterior, and the intricate trim, millwork and stained glass inside. The gorgeous result is something that should set a precedent.
“After” photos by Mike Kaskel
Kitchen at a Glance
Who lives here: A couple and their 8-year-old daughter, along with dog Charlie and cat Willow
Location: Shorewood, Wisconsin, about 5 miles north of Milwaukee
Size: 290 square feet (27 square meters)
Designer: Suzie Van Cleave of Van Cleave Architecture + Design
The pronounced Arts and Crafts detailing on the exterior, such as the oversize brackets and deep overhangs, as well as other period-appropriate interior features like crown molding and a built-in buffet in the dining room, inspired Van Cleave’s kitchen design.
Who lives here: A couple and their 8-year-old daughter, along with dog Charlie and cat Willow
Location: Shorewood, Wisconsin, about 5 miles north of Milwaukee
Size: 290 square feet (27 square meters)
Designer: Suzie Van Cleave of Van Cleave Architecture + Design
The pronounced Arts and Crafts detailing on the exterior, such as the oversize brackets and deep overhangs, as well as other period-appropriate interior features like crown molding and a built-in buffet in the dining room, inspired Van Cleave’s kitchen design.
Before: The existing kitchen had been added on to at some point over the life span of the home, and it was redone in the 1970s. While functional, its black-and-white checkered floor, laminate countertops and basic cabinets didn’t quite match the period details found elsewhere in the house.
After: Van Cleave had everything taken down to the studs, removed a small wall dividing the kitchen and the dining area, and added new appliances, cabinets and an island. She designed the cabinets, which were built by Wood Specialties.
A bracket above the sink is a mini version of the exterior brackets.
A bracket above the sink is a mini version of the exterior brackets.
The second-biggest challenge, after creating an Arts and Crafts feel, was matching the new cabinet stain to the home’s original millwork. “It took six renditions to finally get it right,” Van Cleave says. “There’s a glaze on top of the stain to give it that richness.”
Van Cleave used quarter-sawn white oak for the new cabinets and flooring, the same wood as the original millwork.
She took special consideration with the scale of the subway tile. Too big would lean more modern, while too small might look too busy. Three-by-6-inch tile with dark grout was the sweet spot. Creamy off-white wall paint with subtle green undertones keeps in line with the historic charm.
Cabinet stain: Spectrum Interiors; bridge faucet: Annapolis collection, Waterstone Faucets; sink: Whitehaven, Kohler; cabinet hardware: Ashley Norton; countertops: Frosty Carrina, Caesarstone
Van Cleave used quarter-sawn white oak for the new cabinets and flooring, the same wood as the original millwork.
She took special consideration with the scale of the subway tile. Too big would lean more modern, while too small might look too busy. Three-by-6-inch tile with dark grout was the sweet spot. Creamy off-white wall paint with subtle green undertones keeps in line with the historic charm.
Cabinet stain: Spectrum Interiors; bridge faucet: Annapolis collection, Waterstone Faucets; sink: Whitehaven, Kohler; cabinet hardware: Ashley Norton; countertops: Frosty Carrina, Caesarstone
After: Van Cleave removed the wall where the fridge once stood, creating more openness to the nearby dining area, and relocated a new range to a new island. She used the back wall to contain the tall, deep elements: the fridge and the pantry cabinets.
The homeowners found the new basement door at a salvage shop.
The homeowners found the new basement door at a salvage shop.
After: With the wall gone, Van Cleave had room to add a large island.
New millwork helped better integrate an original stained-glass door and a new stained-glass window that leans more contemporary and was addd by a previous homeowner.
The current homeowners picked out the island pendant lights, which feel right at home amid the modern Arts and Crafts style.
Pendant lights: Asheville collection, Arroyo Craftsman; browse Craftsman-style lighting
New millwork helped better integrate an original stained-glass door and a new stained-glass window that leans more contemporary and was addd by a previous homeowner.
The current homeowners picked out the island pendant lights, which feel right at home amid the modern Arts and Crafts style.
Pendant lights: Asheville collection, Arroyo Craftsman; browse Craftsman-style lighting
Van Cleave and the cabinetmaker took their time to get the island details right. Mission-style sloping corners and furniture-style legs with protruding joinery add character to the design.
The island range features a downdraft that vents through the basement to the outside.
The island range features a downdraft that vents through the basement to the outside.
In the bay window area, Van Cleave removed an old radiator cover and added an arched entryway, columns, window trim and a curved bench seat.
Integrated pet dishes for Charlie the dog pull out from a lower cabinet near the fridge.
This floor plan shows the layout of the center island in relation to the sink, top, the fridge, left, and the stained-glass window, bottom.
General contractor: Productive Builders
Cabinetmaker: Wood Specialties
More
Houzz TV: Meet the Gamble House, a ‘Symphony in Wood’
Houzz Tour: Radiant Restoration of a 1910 Arts and Crafts Bungalow
Other Resources on Houzz
Get kitchen design ideas
Find a kitchen designer
Browse kitchen products
General contractor: Productive Builders
Cabinetmaker: Wood Specialties
More
Houzz TV: Meet the Gamble House, a ‘Symphony in Wood’
Houzz Tour: Radiant Restoration of a 1910 Arts and Crafts Bungalow
Other Resources on Houzz
Get kitchen design ideas
Find a kitchen designer
Browse kitchen products