Creating a sophisticated, traditional kitchen

This refined and airy kitchen features an ornate mahogany hearth-style range hood with egg-and-dart molding and grand corbels. Maple cabinetry in a latte finish and a kitchen island with a custom brush stroke and crackle finish provide ample counter space and storage.

Functionality and architectural beauty come together in the stunning kitchen of Kevin and Susan McAlary in Amherst. When the homeowners’ previous kitchen—a handsome, cherry, Shaker-style space—became too tight, a larger area to accommodate their love of cooking and entertaining became an incentive to design a new room. “We wanted the new space to capture an historic, Old World look, yet also have all the modern conveniences of a well-designed and well-run kitchen,” Kevin says. 

The homeowners called upon Heidi Huddleston—a certified kitchen designer and owner of Delicious Kitchens & Interiors, LLC—to restyle the space in terms of functionality and elegance. Huddleston says she strove to design a kitchen where the combination of luxury, streamlined appliances; stylish, hard-working cabinets; and thoughtful design promotes a layout best suited for the McAlarys’ active lifestyle.

The existing kitchen was converted into a casual dining space complete with a mahogany wine bar, prep sink and hutch. Detailed molding above the beverage area’s cabinets and its mullion glass doors adds sophistication.

The new kitchen, a twenty-foot-by-twenty-foot addition, serves as a refined but accessible work area with bright, large windows; paneled appliances; spacious granite countertops; and custom cabinets in three finishes by Plain and Fancy Custom Cabinetry.

Dramatic architectural details are the kitchen’s focal point. Two columns at the room’s entrance set the stage for the other beautiful details within, including a marble subway-tile backsplash with herringbone accents framed in Ming green marble. An ornate mahogany hearth-style range hood, with corbels and egg-and-dart molding, creates an elegant statement while serving a utilitarian purpose with its accessible pullout racks for spices. The kitchen’s details help create a high-functioning, refined space. “It’s perfect for the family to enjoy today and for future generations as well,” Huddleston says.

What makes this kitchen fabulous

• Mahogany and maple latte mix cabinetry from Plain and Fancy Custom Cabinetry, a fully custom cabinetry line crafted in Lancaster County, Pennsylvania
  www.plainfancycabinetry.com
• Sub-Zero and Wolf integrated appliances
  www.subzero-wolf.com
• Backsplash is marble subway tile with herringbone accents in Ming green marble from Artistic Tile in Nashua
  886-1920 www.theperfecttile.com
• Wall paint color by Benjamin Moore
  www.benjaminmoore.com

Next to the kitchen, a casual dining space—with a mahogany wine bar, prep sink and climate controlled wine refrigerator—offers a sleek place for refreshments and socializing. “It is an entertainment-focused space,” says kitchen designer Heidi Huddleston.

This refined and airy kitchen features an ornate mahogany hearth-style range hood with egg-and-dart molding and grand corbels. Maple cabinetry in a latte finish and a kitchen island with a custom brush stroke and crackle finish provide ample counter space and storage.