Some remodeling projects merely restore what was there before. Others change the entire scheme of time and place, with a requisite challenge to make the transition comfortable. Such is the case with the couple in Hendersonville’s Crab Creek area who hired designer Amanda James of Forest Millwork to transform their kitchen, master bath, and laundry.
“The home was very mid-century modern, and the clients wanted to incorporate a more European old-world charm to the space,” explains Amanda. Legacy furniture stayed, but everything cramped or dated in the infrastructure was coaxed away.
“We inherited an Albert Shaw-designed home, one of only two he built in his lifetime,” explains the lady of the house, who’s definitely done her research: “It was commissioned by a Chicago couple in the ’40s whose many passions included European travel. Paying homage to their vision and our own love of Europe, we wanted to add warmth to the home and soften the edges of this modern jewel.”
Pride of place glows throughout, beginning with the light streaming in through the German Unilux windows. The floors are reclaimed roof tiles from central France, and this material now surrounds the original brick fireplace, as well, where a starburst clock marks the time — as well as the final evidence of mid-cent-mod whimsy.
Ironically, the couple stands out for their roots in the area. They’re hardly newcomers; in fact, the patriarch “was raised on the beautiful property, with many wonderful childhood memories, and the home is situated such that the kitchen overlooks a beautiful organic vegetable farm,” notes the designer.
Nevertheless, Amanda and crew fearlessly took out most of what was there before, removing all interior existing floors, cabinets, appliances, windows — “even drywall and the dropped ceiling.” Only the original door and the aforementioned hearth were left standing.
“First we developed the cabinetry color scheme based on photos they had found over the years,” says Amanda. Framing wire-inlaid fronts, the final gray wasn’t a standard hue, but mixed to a signature color (a blend of “Pure White” and “Brushed Black”).
“It falls in the sweet spot,” says the homeowner — a balanced, universal shade she describes as “the gray renaissance of modern design.” Walnut accents add warmth and counter-to-ceiling Calacatta marble in “Crema” brings the posh. Continental statement pieces include diamond-shaped decorative grills with pewter-mesh backing, sourced from London.
The large wine cooler exudes a European feel, too — while other amenities were a mix of style and convenience: a shoe bench, coat storage, a cell-phone drop station, a built-in banquette for casual dining, and modern appliances cozying up with a farmhouse-style sink.
“The range wall needed its own focal point, so we selected a stainless Vent-a-Hood with custom trim accents to tie everything together,” says Amanda. Additionally, she integrated what she calls “a home for cookbooks” — proving the kitchen’s country accent amid all the sophistication.
RESOURCES
Kitchen/Bath Designer Amanda James, Forest Millwork and the Cabinet Design Studio
Builder Wilkie Residential Builders
Cabinetry Forest Millwork
Countertops Mountain Marble
Flooring Ancient Floors
Lighting Pendant Stray Dog Designs
Appliances Ferguson