“Our clients, a successful professional couple with two boys almost out of the nest, came to us seeking more space and better storage,” says Julie China of Idea Space Architecture & Design.  “They wanted a large kitchen where they could finally entertain in style, as well as comfortably hang out with their boys—not to mention, their loving Newfoundland dog! And as avid skiers and sports enthusiasts, the family also sought a designated space for storing their copious gear and equipment.”

Julie and her partner, Darren China, were the right duo for the job. “He’s an architect and I am an interior designer,” she explains. “We created a modern extension, encompassing a new kitchen and mudroom while staying true to the existing architecture. The new design needed to reflect the couple’s evolving tastes—clean and modern—while honoring the home’s traditional roots, a challenge we happily embraced. The style is warm and inviting yet quite contemporary.”

The kitchen calls on a combination of natural white oak, dark painted finish, Zellige tile from Ann Sacks, honed white Danby stone, and Jet Mist quartzite in a leathered finish.  The feature here is the range wall—the hood is tiled in the same Zellige and a niche behind the cooking area offers storage and styling opportunities. Windows (from Andersen) flank each side. Function abounds with vented produce drawers, a paper towel drawer, and a pegged drawer for dishware. There’s also a hidden appliance garage. 

“One challenge that was faced was that of the roof slope and line,” the designer recalls. “The footprint of our first-floor addition was large while at the same time we had second floor windowsill heights to navigate. This led to designing hand in hand with our structural engineer a low sloping roof that would not appear overbearing or out of scale with the rest of the house.” 

It took nearly two years from design to completion but was well worth it.  “We really love it and when we’ve entertained it functions really well,” the client shared. “So, it’s not only beautiful but it’s also such a welcome and much needed addition to our house.”