A Kitchen Fit for a Family

A 21st-Century Upgrade for a Traditional Downtown Home

By Katherine Saunders

Photos by Stephane Dandeneau

This small downtown home was perfect for a young family of three:

a couple and their school-aged son. It has a nice backyard in a historic St. John's neighbourhood, near shops, schools and parks. Inside, it had a timeless charm with classic features, including a brick fireplace. But the kitchen needed an update: it was small, with a counter along one wall and a little less than the perfect amount of space for a family to cook and eat together. A kitchen that is too small makes cooking more stressful than it needs to be.

Photos by Stephane Dandeneau

The homeowners enlisted the help of Doug Allen of Ulu Cabinetry. Doug walks Downhome through this reno.

“The first thing I do when I work with a new client is have them make a Pinterest board with inspiration for the reno,”

The couple wanted a modern upgrade that would give them the space they needed and improve the functionality of the kitchen, while maintaining the historic feel of the home. They favoured a simple, yet elegant design that would make their kitchen a comfortable place for family gatherings.

Photos by Stephane Dandeneau

This renovation required a structural overhaul. The first step to creating this dream kitchen was to knock out a wall to make a bigger space. The challenge was planning and building around the stone chimney, which the homeowners understandably wanted to keep. With careful calculations and meticulous planning, Doug was able to significantly increase the area of the room.

Photos by Stephane Dandeneau

Photos by Stephane Dandeneau

The next step was to build the perfect cooking space. The increased size of the kitchen allowed for the extension of the counter space to cover three walls instead of just one, while leaving plenty of space in the middle for a large kitchen table. The homeowners opted for a concrete countertop, a material Doug says has gained popularity over the past five or 10 years. Still, he knew it would be difficult to find a contractor in this province willing to take on this relatively small job. “There are very few that I trust to do this kind of work,” he admits with a chuckle. However, he was soon able to secure a reputable company to build a sleek concrete countertop.

With the counter ready to go, the next item on the design list was storage. To complement the stark concrete and the brick chimney, the homeowners opted for white 18-inch upper cabinets along the walls, with lower cabinets and flooring made of light hardwood. To finish off the look, they installed recessed white lighting for an unobtrusive, bright and welcoming glow.

Photos by Stephane Dandeneau

Photos by Stephane Dandeneau

Photos by Stephane Dandeneau

Photos by Stephane Dandeneau

The homeowners are extremely happy with their new kitchen, which is a modern space within their historic home. Doug says,

“The space is much more functional now, with plenty of room for two people to move around the kitchen, cook, clean, and a space for their son to colour or work on homework.”

Now, instead of cooking being a chore, the family can relax in their kitchen and enjoy the time spent together preparing and eating meals, sitting around the table playing board games, and hosting get-togethers in their beautiful home.

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