Our contracter gutted our old kitchen at Resthaven the day I brought home my son from the hospital. I figured I'd be in a coma for the next 3 months anyway, so why not get it all done at once (colic and huge renovation project)? In hindsight, it was a really good plan, being on site every day during my 11 week maternity leave. I didn't really need a kitchen for our new addition to the family, as I was nursing, and my mom lived a minute away with dinner for everyone else. I love building and renovating houses. I built my first house (with the help of the critical construction eye of my fiance) at 25, and thought it was a great experience. Renovating this historic house was just the same. For our kitchen project, we hired Landmark Services, which specializes in renovating antique properties, as respecting the history of the house was of utmost importance to us. Renovation finished the day I went back to work, and the result was superb. Three small rooms were gutted to create a large open space with ample granite countertops and a huge island. We bumped out the back wall to create a built-in banquette eating area, filled with light, overlooking the back patio and pool. It is glorious, and actually won an award in a Better Homes and Garden renovation contest. I will never go without a range like the Thermadore we installed, with 4 gas burners and a built-in grill, and a huge electric convection oven. For northeasterners, the grill is just about the best invention for a cook, as grilling year round is simple. The custom cherry cabinets, with the mantle surrounding the range, are elegant and flow perfectly with the house, as do the random width wood floors with antique square head nails. Numerous salvaged wavy glass windows and a french door leading to the solarium let in ample light all day long, creating an inviting space in which everyone loves to gather.
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