"This is a real cook's kitchen."
— Jennifer Roberts, author Good Green Kitchens

“I’ve been in a lot of nice kitchens, but this one is really designed for cooking.”
— Sasha Weiss, pastry chef, Millenium

"This is beyond commendable, this is awesome."
— John Barbey, president, Liberty-Hill Historic Society

The goal of infusing this 1894 Queen Anne with a new kitchen was to allow both historic details and modern furnishings to stand together, mutual and complementary. It accommodates between one and three cooks easily, and the custom dining table expands to seat twenty.

Cabinets are customized for their contents. Separate bins for trash, recycling and compost are incorporated. Storage shelves are scribed to fit around the sink disposals. Special vertical drawers by the island sink accommodate vinegars, cooking oils and dish soaps.

Removing the wall between the kitchen and dining rooms brightened each space. Suspended shelves between the two intimate a separation without compromising the feeling of spaciousness. Old-growth Douglass Fir studs taken from the wall were milled and joined to make the shelves.

The shelf suspension can be fully adjusted if required for house settlement. Glass is left frameless, and the suggestion of a crown molding is abstracted for the top shelf.

Counters are made from a resin-bound, recycled wood pulp product, and are finished with mineral oil. The floor is a floating system of cork panels which acoustically isolates the downstairs unit.

This kitchen was first reviewed in the San Francisco Chronicle Magazine, with a follow-up explanation of the structural system here. It also appeared in San Francisco Magazine, and the book Good Green Kitchens, by Jennifer Roberts.