Holan Kitchen Remodel

Albany, California

"Small-Space Solutions," This Old House, March, 2008

ELEGANT ARCHWAYS OPEN COZY KITCHEN

This 1930 Spanish Mission home had a tiny 9' x 10' kitchen with a poor layout and no room to expand.   Adding elegant archways gracefully opened up the small space to the home’s larger rooms.  The wall between the kitchen and dining room was replaced with a large arched opening and two archways replaced the back doors.  The new arches match the soft curves of the home’s original archways.

To ‘expand’ the kitchen further, three wood casement windows replaced two aluminum double-hungs.  With more views and more light, the kitchen feels larger though no square footage was added.

Due to the small size of the kitchen, custom cabinets were necessary.  Painted for a traditional bungalow look, they were integrated with apartment-sized appliances.  Custom counter tiles are highlighted with antique tiles on the walls.   An original 1907 gas light fixture was retrofitted for electricity, adding sparkle to the traditional design.   In the breakfast nook, the original ironing board cabinet was transformed into an antique display shelf.  

For the finishing touch, Spanish floor tile was laid on point.  With new archways and windows, the light and airy kitchen is now truly the heart of this small casa.