Kitchen Confidential
Janice Randall Rohlf
Editor
About 20 years ago, I renovated my 1960s-era kitchen. It was time! I was thrilled to bring in brand-new white cabinetry and black granite countertops. Following the growing trend, we knocked down the wall separating the kitchen and dining room, creating space for a central island with stools. We replaced the tile floor with hardwood to match the rest of the main level, and stainless-steel appliances completed the look.
This past year, in a different home, extensive water damage forced the second kitchen renovation of my life—so far! I knew I didn’t want a replay of white cabinets and dark granite. This time, a color consultant suggested deep navy cabinetry paired with crisp white quartz countertops, and I fell in love with the concept. When it comes to decorating, I lean traditional, with a soft spot for French Country and English Cottage style. The most avant-garde feature in my new kitchen is the induction range, and the space is cozy enough that I don’t miss having an island at all.
Just like light versus dark cabinets or black granite versus white quartz, kitchen design can be deeply personal and polarizing—and the same goes for baths. In this issue, we feature three kitchens and three baths, each evoking a distinctly different mood (page 47). We hope you’ll find inspiration in these varied spaces.
In addition, writer Christina Poletto takes us inside a home by Samyn-D’Elia Architects that “fulfills the client’s wish for a sleek and minimalist kitchen where everything recedes behind a scrim of stained wood.” This contemporary feel aligns perfectly with the midcentury-inspired aesthetic the homeowners envisioned, complete with a custom cocktail bar modeled after one they admired in a 1950s Airstream (page 60).
At the other end of the design spectrum is a 1,200-square-foot New England–style cottage in downtown Exeter (page 96). Because the homeowner is Janice Page, principal of PKsurroundings Fine Kitchens & Interiors, every detail was carefully considered. For instance, Page notes, “The light colors inside provide an interesting juxtaposition to the dark charcoal exterior. You walk into the house and it’s like a breath of fresh air—everything is bright, and it feels much larger than expected from the outside.”
Elsewhere in this issue, we visit a clay artist in New Durham, explore a stunning garden in New London, and step inside a distinctive Manchester home—a midcentury modern masterpiece that was so well preserved that it was move-in ready for a local museum director.
Enjoy autumn—for so many of us, it’s the favorite season of the year!
