When it comes to houses, there are two types of people: old house people and new house people. New house people gravitate to brand spanking new builds. A home where everything is crisp and new. Where they will be the first to put their stamp on the home. But old house people are a different breed entirely. They’ll take charm and character over sparkle and shine. Old house people don’t see themselves as homeowners as much as stewards of the soul of home, a place patinaed by the hands of caretakers over the decades. New house people, though, might argue that older homes don’t always have the characteristics that today’s families are looking for: expansive kitchens, wide open rooms filled with natural light, and storage. But after you read about this recent renovation orchestrated by The English Contractor team, we might convert some die-hard new house people. It is possible to have it all: charm, character, sparkle and shine. Read on and you’ll see that all an old home needs is a homeowner with a vision and a builder who can make it happen.

Photo Credit: Ross Van PeltArchitect: drawing dept — Photo Credit: Ross Van Pelt
Architect: drawing dept

A major remodel is nothing new to this 100+ year old home in the Hyde Park neighborhood of Cincinnati. Fairly recently, renovation efforts by previous owners resulted in an addition to the house, which included a much used sunroom. But the current homeowners have a keen sense of style and knew that this home wasn’t quite living up to its potential. And just how do you get a home to live up to its potential? The process varies from house to house, but we can tell you that it almost always starts in the kitchen.

As you can see in the above photograph, the kitchen is a real gathering place in this house, connecting the older, more formal parts with the newer additions. Renovations included a new glass front door to the outside, topped by a transom window. A more substantial change was the addition of a window to the right of the fireplace, flooding the entire room with light. This kitchen is going to work hard for this home. It’s a passage way, an entry space, and a gathering place. When someone once said that the kitchen is the heart of the home, we can assure you that this is exactly the type of kitchen they were talking about.

You might call this style “time-honored modern.” This kitchen pays homages to the home’s history, while offering all the conveniences today’s families want. Open and airy to a family room, with easy access to the outside, this kitchen island is going to be a busy place as this family grows. The wood-toned lower cabinets ground the home to it’s past, while the white upper cabinetry keeps it bright, seemingly disappearing into the background.

White subway tile wraps along the entire back wall of this kitchen. No ordinary subway tile, the homeowners sourced this classic look from a classic Cincinnati company: Rookwood tile. We love how the tile extends into this nook, which is made complete with the addition of two sets of floating shelves, flanking either side of a large window.

What could have been an awkward space is a most functional nook. The large, undermount stainless steel sink is topped with a pull down faucet in oil rubbed bronze from Signature Hardware. With the dishwasher to the left of the sink and a Subzero Refrigerator to the right, plus two sets of the most useful shelves, we’d say this is a perfect work station.

If the sink station in this kitchen makes you think you might not mind dish clean up duty, the cooking station will definitely make you want to channel your inner chef. This space is now ruled by the king of all ranges from Subzero Wolf. We think these elements officially put this space into the “dream kitchen” category. A bright and airy work space, with all the tools you need at the ready, and adjacent to a family-hang out space will make those necessary chores a true pleasure.

Maybe this comfy couch is inspiring you to curl up and take a quick cat nap. And maybe your nap will bring you sweet dreams of a new kitchen all your own—one that’s shiny and bright with all the bells and whistles, whether it’s in a newer house or an old house. Do you dream of restoring a historic home to its former glory? Does your newer home need a buff and a polish? No matter the scope and scale of your kitchen renovation, we’re just the people to call. We’re in the business of building dream kitchens. In fact, if you dream it, we know we can build it. Give us a call and let’s get started.

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