This Made-for-Entertaining Kitchen Used to Be a Crumbling Greenhouse
New York–based designer Laura Bohn and her husband, builder Richard Fiore, were the perfect team to tackle the demolition and renovation of their 1960s ranch house. “The entire structure was more of a fall-down rather than a teardown,” Bohn says of the Bucks County, Pennsylvania home. “I am always on the hunt for the biggest wreck to transform.” Located between the house and a collapsing barn was a rickety 850-square-foot greenhouse that the couple planned to turn into an inviting kitchen where they could entertain guests year round. The duo achieved their goal by installing floor-to-ceiling sliding glass doors that lead to a terrace, incorporating neutral materials and textures, and bringing in architectural details and finishes that blur the lines of an indoor-outdoor room. Here is how Bohn and Fiore created the welcoming kitchen that their family and friends enjoy today.
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ERIC LAIGNEL1/4Smooth shiplap, a standard exterior material, was used on the back wall of the kitchen for a touch of texture. A storage area behind this partition holds dishes and accessories, while a walk-in pantry right of the painted chalkboard contains canned goods and the refrigerator. Industrial-style collar ties were used instead of the usual wood trusses. “They are structural and literally pull the room together,” says Bohn. A tabletop for the seated bar lies partially on top of the island to create varying heights and dimension.
2/4The original greenhouse was torn down and replaced by a 37-by-23-foot kitchen. To continue the casual living vibe from the terrace into the kitchen, Bohn installed low-maintenance bluestone flooring. Pet mess and dirt can be easily hosed down, with drains nearby.
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ERIC LAIGNEL3/4Bohn hung three pendant lights from the 1950s in a seemingly random pattern. “I never put lights in a straight line. It’s too rigid,” says the designer. “They are placed wherever light is needed.” While white is the kitchen’s primary hue, Poliform’s glossy lacquered cabinetry mixes with Corian’s matte countertops, providing subtle yet substantial texture.
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ERIC LAIGNEL4/4A walnut cutting board sits on the island, while the two ovens and microwave by Electrolux are housed in a niche at the other end of the kitchen.
