Kitchen of the Week: Resurrecting History onto a New York Farm

Rescued at the nick of time from demolition, a 1790 barn framework now includes an updated kitchen having a working New York farm. The homeowners loved the framework and wanted it to help honor their house’s history. Architect Kate Johns maintained the frame’s high ceilings, exposed rafters, articles and authentic hayloft ladder, and used them to define the new kitchen’s design. A Scandinavian-inspired colour palette keeps the space light and bright and lets the wooden beams stick out.

The resurrected framework now connects the farm’s 18th-century home together with the couple’s recently built home, blending the old and new — in more ways than you.

Kitchen in a Glance
Location: Hudson Valley, New York
Size: 1,553 square feet, including the kitchen, dining area and living area (kitchen: 650 square feet)

KATE JOHNS AIA

The older hayloft was removed, and the 200-year-old framework — cleaned, refinished and stabilized — now opens into the rafters. More light is let in by A dormer in the ceiling.

KATE JOHNS AIA

Berkshire Barns helped the bunch deconstruct the barn framework, rebuilding it on this sloped website. The barn-framed great room currently connects the first rock house on the left and the new home on the right side.

KATE JOHNS AIA

The kitchen revolves around a primary dining area, large island, small cooking fireplace and La Cornue stove with a custom surround. The owners use the tiny fireplace to cook appetizers, roast meats and grill vegetables for groups of friends.

The ladder involving the huge island and the table led to the hayloft in the first barn.

Island paint: Lamp Room Gray, Farrow & Ball; hardware: Rocky Mountain Hardware; pendants: PW Vintage Lighting

KATE JOHNS AIA

The red La Cornue stove is the only splash of colour. The habit vented alcove mirrors the fireplace in the living area at the opposite end of the excellent room.

Countertops, backsplash: Danby Marble

KATE JOHNS AIA

A giant “swing beam” at the middle of the space spans the full width of the window with no supporting posts in the middle. Although it was originally designed so carriages can turn around in the barn, the open area gave Johns lots of space to work with.

At first, the frame’s post height was too low for anybody to walk underneath the cross beams, so the barn builder added 21/2 feet into the base of each pole using remnants from additional barn articles.

KATE JOHNS AIA

The 16-foot-long island is in proportion to the extra-tall ceilings. Johns installed a sink, a dishwasher, undercounter refrigerators, chairs and storage area in the island. Two-inch-thick marble counters high the painted island cabinetry. The legs around the island make it seem more like a piece of furniture than a built-in.

Bar stools, dining table: Chris Lehrecke; seats: Nakashima straight-back-chair reproduction; flooring: white walnut, Carlisle Flooring

KATE JOHNS AIA

Johns made custom workstations on either side of the island and primary cooking area. Each side functions with conveniences and its appliances, saving measures.

KATE JOHNS AIA

This workstation has a refrigerator, a cleanup bowl and sink storage.

Though Johns did not want too much exposed timber, she did not want to use Sheetrock. Instead, she installed tongue and groove boards on the ceilings and walls, painted the wallboards and whitewashed the ceiling.

Cabinetry: habit, assembled by Vormer Cabinetry; sconces: Filament, Restoration Hardware

KATE JOHNS AIA

On the opposite wall (beyond the island) a beverage and coffee channel greets the guests and homeowners as they walk into the kitchen. The two tall cabinets have pivoting pocket doors that can hide countertop appliances open to reveal workspace. There is also a sink and a small refrigerator for beverages.

KATE JOHNS AIA

2 dishwashers, a small sink and refrigerators within this butler’s pantry make postparty cleanup simple.

Sinks: Shaw Original Farmhouse, Rohl; fixtures: Barber Wilson

KATE JOHNS AIA

The owners use a small steam oven and microwave to warm up food before serving. Added pantry storage area removes the need for upper cabinetry in the primary cooking area.

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