Stately Update

LAUREN TOLLES, TORI OLIJAR

Maison Birmingham, Birmingham, MI

According to designers Lauren Tolles and Tori Olijar, this 1914 English Revival home located next to Albert Kahn’s iconic iron gates in Grosse Pointe Farms, MI, was full of original design inspiration. While original details greeted the pair at the door, the hallway to the kitchen – a reflection of a disappointing and dated renovation – led them through a maze of small, little-used rooms. 

The small rooms were removed to provide better flow and visually connect the front of the home with the backyard and patio, where the homeowners loved to entertain. The walls in the narrow kitchen remained, however, as the cost to remove them in the older home would have been prohibitive. A botched drop ceiling and faux skylight in the kitchen were also removed, restoring the ceiling height to 12′, reflecting rooms throughout the first floor. 

Using the existing kitchen footprint, the designers found other ways to improve functionality and circulation, including the relocation of doors and windows. While the homeowners requested seating at the island, the narrow footprint didn’t allow for it. A corner banquette was installed to serve that purpose.

A mix of elegant cabinetry sets the tone for the kitchen. The sink and range run, as well as a shallow tall cabinet, feature flush inset Sonoma flat panel door style in Seagull White paint. A built-in nook, full-depth tall cabinet and the island sport the Sonoma flat panel door in walnut vertical grain and Symphony finish.

A stately custom range hood with Wolf insert anchors the space and is finished in Oyster White with polished brass strapping that coordinates with the cabinet hardware and Taft faucets from Newport Brass. Additional appliances include a 48″ Wolf range, Sub-Zero refrigerator and freezer and Asko dishwashers.