This Kitchen Design Adds Storage Without Increasing Square Footage

This modern farmhouse kitchen in Millbrook proves that the right design can make your space more functional without changing the footprint.

Design Team

Architect

Cynthia Filkoff of Di Biase Filkoff Architects

Designer

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Selina van der Geest of NL-GB

Builder

Kettle Ridge Construction

The homeowners, a fashion media executive and her husband, tasked Di Biase Filkoff Architects of Bedford with updating and opening up the tired kitchen in their weekend home, but they didn’t want to change the footprint.

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That challenge inspired Cynthia Filkoff and her team to eliminate most of the upper cabinets, add windows, and increase the opening to the dining area by trimming a clunky mantel — all changes that bring more light into the rooms.

“We visually expanded the space without removing existing walls,” says Filkoff. “We streamlined the fireplace to make it open on both sides, which was my favorite design element. Now you really have flow from the kitchen to the informal dining area.”

That main kitchen blends masculine elements, such as the steely blue cabinetry and island, with glam accents like brass hardware, pendant lights, kick plates, and wire-mesh facing on some of the cabinets. Interior designer Selina van der Geest of NL-GE spec’d Benjamin Moore’s Westcott Navy paint and selected many of the key details.

The island is topped with practical Caesarstone with a brass inlay, a decorative touch conceived when the team discovered that they couldn’t source a slab large enough to cover the whole island. “When you’re presented with a challenge, it forces you to come up with a creative solution,” says Filkoff of the distinctive island top. A classic farmhouse sink from Waterworks is paired with a more rugged, industrial-style Regulator gooseneck faucet.

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The new cooking and prep space meet all the needs of the husband, who is the main cook in the family, in part because he was able to custom-design his own Caliber range. A backsplash of geometric pattern tile and a brass-trimmed hood lend extra style to the cooking zone.

On either side of the range, pocket doors lead to an expansive pantry. Much of the meal prep can happen out of sight, with small appliances such as coffeemakers, a mixer, and even the wine fridge housed in this pantry, too. “He has every gadget imaginable, and there’s a breakfast bar back there,” says Filkoff.

For the kitchen and dining area, Filkoff sourced casement windows and had them installed with retractable screens to let in a breeze when the weather’s nice. Double doors open to the porch and pool beyond for seamless indoor-outdoor living. A painting by artist Leora Armstrong and upholstered settees make the kitchen feel more like a living space.

Says Filkoff, “It’s so open, bright, and relaxed.”