The Country House Kitchen

Nestled in the woods of central Alabama, a new construction kitchen was finished with simple shaker inset cabinetry and a country-style, eat-in kitchen. The design direction and vision were to create a kitchen and home with a nod to a relaxed country living where any visual reference to modernism was ignored–to create a truly timeless kitchen.

Behind the Design

Several years ago, I received a call from a young man looking for an interior designer. He and his wife were self-contracting a new home in the country. Over the phone, he explained his overarching vision for his rustic home. He wanted a home that was timelessly rooted in the past, so much so that one might wonder, “When was this house built?”

Upon the first drive up the dusty tree-lined road and modern life slipped away, it became clear exactly what he meant. A quintessential rustic wrap-around porch was the dominant feature to this Southern-style cabin. The exterior was clad in timber and stone, with no period reference. I was so thankful it was not a modern farmhouse void of architecturally correct details to be regretted in the coming years.

Their project was initially stalled by complete indecision. While the exterior was nearly complete, no other finishes had been selected beyond the unique rustic reclaimed wood floors.

In the initial consultation, the homeowner shared the original drawings of the kitchen’s floor plan. The original plan included a peninsula dividing the area just before the French doors and a corner range. Immediately, I knew that the plan was wrong because of his ageless vision of the home. The original drawings also did not include an allowance for a pantry.

This “modern” kitchen floorplan would never have felt like a timeless country house. I shared a few immediate ideas to gauge their acceptance of moving the kitchen in an entirely different direction. Thankfully, they were open to a completely different floorplan.

The new design and kitchen cabinet sketches took shape, with perimeter cabinets wrapping around the kitchen and an antique farm table anchoring the center. A larger antique iron window captured additional light. The new kitchen would be where their family would gather to enjoy meals, play games, do homework, and share stories of the day.

Once the new floor plan and design direction had been drawn up and approved, we scheduled an appointment to pick out finishes.

Often, my design process involves guiding the client through the stone yard to see and touch options I have preselected and repeating this process with tile. These tactile meetings demonstrate to me early on what a client is drawn to. This process helps the client begin to visualize the end resultby seeing and feeling the hard finishes.

Leslie

Sadly, even with completed drawings and renderings, the wait for cabinet delivery was over a year. Despite the delays, the kitchen was a beautiful execution of a relaxed, timeless space that was even better than the young homeowners had imagined. Once complete, they were thrilled to see the exceptional finishes, a farmhouse sink, softly leathered Taj Mahal quartzite countertops with custom stone window sill and backsplash on the wet side of the kitchen—a considered approach to the cabinet layout and hardware to give the kitchen a collected, relaxed feel.

The hood was the one design element that changed from the original drawings and admittedly affected the kitchen’s overall look. This limestone finish and handmade tile are undoubtedly beautiful, regardless. The original design featured a large tumbled stone backsplash. The stone would have perfectly complemented the rustic, oversized 18th-century-style hearth and fireplace in the adjacent sitting room.

Sourcing for this home was a designer’s dream. Numerous trips to antique stores all over Alabama, combing through the client’s storage, and even a trip to the iconic Round Top, Texas, helped add authentic layers of interest that tell the story of this country home.

The one takeaway from this project I would like to share with future clients is that this project became the “worst-case scenario” for choosing a cabinet provider not on my vetted list. No one should have their project stalled for over a year while waiting on cabinetry. The only saving grace was that the workmanship was good, and after many conversations with the carpenter, it was executed to my specifications and drawings well.