A Small Addition, Big Difference

The new kitchen addition shown from the same location as before image 2 below.

This kitchen is as much about family history as it is about design. The homeowner grew up in this 1950s home, inherited it from her family, and wanted to bring the kitchen into the way she lives today—without losing the memories of the people and meals that made the house home. In Collaboration with Clawson Architects, Clawson Cabinets created a place for memories to continues.

New Kitchen Addition shown showing more windows and a door directly to the garden. Taken from same vantage point as Before image 1 above.

The challenge was making a modest kitchen work for someone who genuinely loves to cook and entertain. A small addition—and a few very intentional changes—made all the difference. By removing the old side entrance and relocating the stairs that once led directly to the basement, we were able to create a proper entrance to the rear yard for harvesting in the garden and reclaim valuable space for the kitchen. New windows bring in more natural light, while a generous island provides the workspace, storage and gathering spot the original kitchen simply couldn't offer. Cabinets are Breeze Inset Cabinets by Woodharbor for Clawson Cabinets

New inductions cooktop by Wolf together with the wall ovens are every thing a real cook needs. Taken from same vantage point as before Image 3

This kitchen began as a very familiar place: the original 1950s kitchen in the home where the owner grew up. After inheriting the house, she wanted to bring the kitchen up to today’s standards while preserving the feeling of a home filled with family, cooking and memories.

This image is taken from the top of the relocated stairs that lead to a finished basement where the family used to have a “summer kitchen” complete with all the canning supplies for their harvest.

The adjoining bar adds another layer of function—a place out of the way, to make for drinks, while dinner is being prepared.

What makes this kitchen particularly special is that it doesn't feel like it erased what came before. The cabinetry, island and bar have brought the kitchen into the present, but the room still belongs to the same home and the same family story. The woman who once watched her family cook here can now create those same kinds of memories for the next generation.

Sometimes the biggest transformation doesn't require a big addition. It simply requires making every inch work a little harder—and designing a kitchen around the life that is meant to happen there.

To see more of this project, check out Clawson Architects, Photos by Aimee Ryan Photography