Levey Kitchen 1
Levey Kitchen 2
Levey Kitchen 3
Levey Kitchen 4

Built in the early 1900s, the lavish beaux arts period house was filled with intricate design details, both inside and out. Ornate archways, egg-and-dart molding treatments, and fluted columns adorned all of the formal rooms. The 12xl6-foot kitchen was the exception-it was void of all ornamentation and almost completely empty. "All that was left was a single built-in dark cherry cabinet and the original oak floors," Gray says.

Because the home has been listed on the National Register of Historic Places since 1978, a covenant required that the built-in cabinet, four existing doorways, and two existing windows all stay put making the job of creating an efficient kitchen in a modest-size space all the more difficult. "Fitting a new kitchen into an existing space is always a challenge, but this one was more of a dilemma than most," Gray says. "The [current owners] plan to use the kitchen for catering, so there needed to be ample work space for multiple cooks. Because of all the room openings, there was only one interior wall on which we could create a large expanse of counter space, so we chose that wall for the sink. From there, we knew we had to come up with several more functional work areas."

A table serves as the center island, an additional work surface that can be moved out of the way , when the cooks need more room to roam. Open shelves below the table were designed to hold large serving pieces. A storage hutch topped with solid-surfacing fills potentially wasted wall space. The hutch also serves as a way station for groceries coming in or prepared dishes going out. "'The trafficking was pretty much determined by the existing openings," Gray says. "However, the island makes the layout pretty convenient, by making it no more than three or four steps to the range, sink, and refrigerator."

Even more challenging was the task of making a new room look as if it had always been a part of the historic home. When the home was built, architectural styles were in a period of transition, Gray says. "The classic period was ending and the Craftsman era had not yet begun. In the beaux arts period, we were still interested in ornamentation, but not to the point that it was ostentatious. This house is filled with very tasteful elements from that era-heavy dentil work, an arched broken pediment over front, door lovely fluted columns, and ornamental details as compared to the French architecture of the time."

Gray designed the new kitchen as though it were built it the early 20th century. Fluted columns and an arched pediment encase the range. Egg-and-dart and dentil molding treatments replicate those found in an adjoining room. The cabinets appear unfitted, as though each piece were purchased separately and added to the kitchen over the years. Made from hard maple, the perimeter cabinets were sprayed with a rich melted-butter-color lacquer and hand-rubbed with an ochre-color glaze to make them look timeworn. The black cherry island boasts a solid top slab with a low-luster lacquer finish. The remainder of the piece was painted with a crackle finish, then burnished-a marked contrast to the yellow cabinetry. "We wanted the table to look like a found piece," Gray says. "We selected the black cherry and the dark glazing to tie the piece to the room's existing cherry cabinetry piece."

Interior designers Emily Nickel and Amy Lippard added the finishing touches to the room, including painting and stenciling the walls, tiling the backsplash and choosing the fixtures and furnishings. Custom-painted backsplash tiles were glazed one shade lighter than the kitchen cabinets. "The room has a very formal feel. We wanted the furnishings and accessories to reflect that, while simultaneously adding warmth and charm the the space," Nickel said.

To prevent the stainless-steel appliances from looking too cold, Lippard also used warmer metals, including brass mesh insets on the storage-hutch doors, brushed nickel for drawer and dock pulls, and shiny copper on accent pieces such as pans. A whitewashed metal, period-look chandelier lights the tabletop work surface.

Everything in the room looks as though it has been part of the home for decades. "By paying attention to a home's existing architectural beauty and design, you can make a new space look very authentic," Gray says. "The best compliment to my work is when someone asks, 'Is this new or original?' That's when I know I've done my job."

Style and Function

• The owners use the kitchen for catering large parties, so kitchen designer James Gray created as many work areas as possible, including large expanses of counters on each side of the kitchen sink, a storage hutch that doubles as work space, and a movable center worktable.
• A small pub-style table accommodates snackers and guests who prefer joining the cook. Gray tucked the range between two windows, leaving just enough room for a narrow bank of drawers for herbs and spices along each side of the range.
• For ease of cleanup, interior designers Emily Nickel and Amy Lippard chose solid-surfacing for the perimeter counters and integrated double-bowl sink.