An updated pantry

This project was part of a decorator showhouse. The mansion was designedin 1918 for the William Coe family in regency style with gothic elements - leaded stainedglass, hand-carved oak furniture and other decorative elements. The designers werechallenged to convert two small rooms - a bathroom and a powder room - into a butler'spantry for the adjoining dining room where museum committee and staff members conductmeetings.

The room would include a microwave and refrigerator. In order to keep thehistoric style of the room in tact, the microwave was installed in a base cabinet and theundercounter refrigerator was installed with a door panel matching the cabinetry.

The existing bathroom had a beautiful leaded glass window that waspartially covered with a wall. In order to create a spacious and sun-lit pantry, thedesigners eliminated the partition between the bathroom and the powder room, which removedthe obstruction from the window and allowed sunlight in.

The designers kept the original style by paneling the walls andbacksplashes with a loom similar to that of the rest of the house. An old-style coppersink and faucet were placed in a limestone countertop, creating an authentic Old Worldlook. The blueberry glaze on the cabinets adds an up-to-date freshness to the room. Terracotta and ceramic tiles were arranged in the center of the room to create a carpet-likeeffect.

This kitchen was a third-place award winner in the National Kitchen and BathAssociation's 1999 Design Competition. Design and construction contacts:

Merrie A Fredericks, CKD,CBD
Audrey Krisbergh
SELECTIVE DESIGN AND CONSTRUCTION INC T/A DESIGN CONCEPTS PLUS
278 N Lansdowne Avenue - Office
Lansdowne, PA 19050-1143
(610) 449-9560