Hidden behind tall cabinet doors, this would be the place where houseguests could help themselves to their morning coffee and toast. I found I had room for a separate coffee bar with space for a toaster and coffee machine, plus breakfast supplies and a drawer microwave. Once the color and style of the lower cabinets (face frame, Shaker-style doors, flush to the floor) was resolved, it was time to focus on counters, backsplash, appliances and fixtures - and to plan the rest of the room. The choice was Black Panther by Benjamin Moore, in a 20 per cent sheen level with visible brushstrokes. For me, that meant that the kitchen cabinets must be dark and “furniture-like.” At night, when I viewed the kitchen from the dining table, I wanted it to disappear. The kitchen and dining room are now one big room panelled in natural fir board-and-batten from the original circa-1920s summer house. What color would this kitchen be? The decision was largely based on sight lines. You might remember the emerald green kitchen from our March 2020 issue. I can’t say enough about this company’s craftsmanship and expertise in making exactly this style of exquisite painted and natural wood cabinets. I turned to Bloomsbury Fine Cabinetry to make our cabinets to my design specs. Next, it was time to find a custom shop close to home that would be able to build what I wanted. More inspiration came from deVOL Kitchens, another London-based custom shop whose Haberdashery line inspired the glass-fronted display cabinets I’ve planned to sit on our counters, flanking the kitchen sink. In fact, in this style of kitchen, the stove is really the only appliance that’s featured front and center. But “integrated,” I learned, is a different approach, where you build your “closet” and then hide your fridge in behind for a seamless look. I was familiar with “panel-ready” fridges, where cabinet panels are attached to the fronts of appliances. ![]() You have to go and see the quality of the cabinetry, the saturated hues in those drab English paint colors and the attention to detail - like the fridges that were totally hidden behind tall closet doors. A visit to the NYC Plain English showroom two years ago was so inspiring I was instantly smitten. I knew I wanted a classic painted kitchen with Shaker-style lower cabinet doors. Add a separate pantry or larder for food and small appliances, plus a big glass-fronted cabinet for dishes and linens, and you have my perfect combo that I’ve had in every kitchen that I’ve loved best. For me, it’s always lower cabinets, sink wall, stove wall, and fridges around the perimeter of the room, leaving the center free for a farm-style work table. When it came time to design our l akehouse kitchen, my inspiration file of photos, plus those fond memories, were ready to go. My great friends had the quintessential country kitchen with the big Aga hob, larder, huge antique dresser filled with dishes and, of course, the country work tables where we sat shelling peas, rolling dough and chatting away the hours. ![]() I first fell in love with the English country kitchen during long stays as a houseguest in Dorset in the south of England. You’ll be able to see the actual house come together on new episodes of our video series The Lakehouse. Each month, I’ll offer a new chapter on the challenges and solutions, and a peek at our progress. This is my story of designing our renovation of a century-old lakehouse in Ontario.
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