Updated & Delightful

A fresh take on classic English design in Grosse Pointe buILDER: SuLLIVAN buILDING cO., GROSSE POINTE FARMS

DESIGN:

MAISON bIRMINGHAM, bIRMINGHAM

INTERIOR DESIGN: SuLLIVANSTRIckLER DESIGN, GROSSE POINTE

TEXT:

MEGAN SWOYER

PHOTOGRAPHY:

MARTIN VEccHIO

TRIPLE DUTY

A large custom high-gloss navy and glass cabinet provides both display and storage areas; a serving area is hidden behind the center doors.

Lauren Tolles, of Maison Birmingham in Birmingham, had the pleasure of updating a traditional kitchen, breakfast nook, and scullery in Grosse Pointe. The moment the designer stepped into the 1920s Tudor-style home, she was overwhelmed by its beauty. “It was really grand and ornate, and had beautiful vaulted ceilings with an impressive scale,” Tolles recalls. When she first set eyes on the kitchen, however, she was surprised to discover low ceilings and a nondescript look.

“It’s the way these areas in the old homes were,” the designer says. “(The kitchen spaces were) more for servants; this one even had a little back stairway that led to the servants’ bedrooms.”

Tolles, who worked closely with interior designer Victoria Strickler, says the homeowners’ biggest concern was function and creating a more open feel. “The rest of the home was a little more transitional than traditional. I remember the homeowner saying, ‘It’s unfortunate we’re in this room (the kitchen) so much, and it doesn’t feel like the rest of our house.’ ”

Without removing walls or raising ceilings, the team decided to gut the space. “We had to get creative with the layout and finishes to make it feel taller,” Tolles says.

As for color, the house is an English-style Tudor, so Tolles wanted to try to em- brace its English roots by using lots of brass, and she also wanted to keep the original steel windows. “The homeowners installed new unlacquered brass window screens so they could open and use the original pushout, casement-style windows.”

Because the kitchen ceilings are so low, Tolles went with a white oak for the flooring. “We chose a herringbone pattern, in keeping with the rest of the house, but wanted it a bit lighter,” she says. To stay true to the home, she added darker navy and walnut to provide some contrast. The cupboards store all kinds of items including mixers and more. There’s also a warming drawer, which the homeowners say comes in handy for entertaining or keeping meals warm when the kids are at sports practice late.

The team decided on porcelain with an onyx pattern for the countertops. It’s got subtle movement to it, but it’s an engineered material so it’s easy to wipe down and clean. The hood and niches are wrapped in or lined with the porcelain.

The bottom line is that the homeowners didn’t want to get into construction. “We thought we’ll embrace it and work with the walls and ceiling, and just make it feel airier,” Tolles says.

Tolles and her team also added a part-mudroom/ part-pantry/part-coffee-bar space (also known as the scullery). “Here, they make juice drinks and coffee, change their shoes, and keep their dog leashes,” Tolles says. “The homeowners wanted somewhat of a trendy tile, so I found some hand-painted marble tiles. He loves marble and these have a pop to them.”

The designer wanted to keep a lot of the original features in these spaces, including a 1920s swinging door. “That oak is beautiful and original. I didn’t want to change it.”

“It’s fun working in older homes,” she continues. “You’ve got parameters, and I like that challenge. Also, everything we did had to relate to the rest of the house.”

Makeover Magic

Above and above, right: Lauren Tolles, who worked closely with interior designer Victoria Strickler. says the homeowners’ biggest concern was function and creating a more open feel. A perspective of the cabinets, showing their storage capabilities.

Brass Tacks

Right: The homeowners installed unlacquered brass window screens so they could open and use the original push-out casement-style windows. The over-the-sink lighting complements the look perfectly.