Before & After: Subtle Changes Transform a Kitchen

Sometimes, small moves make huge impacts. In this Brooklyn Heights townhouse, the addition of an 18-inch-deep bay unlocked the functionality and experience of using the kitchen, providing a minimally invasive way to enlarge the kitchen at the rear of the parlor floor. It also provided the opportunity to create an indoor-outdoor experience with direct access to the exterior and rear yard.

Alongside contractor MLZ General Construction, we created a walk-out deck off the kitchen creates a direct connection between the kitchen and the rear yard. Atop the kitchen, we created another outdoor space off the second-floor office.

This unlocked the ability to have counters and cabinets on either side of the range, as well as comfortable spacing between the sink cabinet and the peninsula. The detailing of the bay, including window heights and relocation of the sink to the rear wall, maximizes visibility of the rear yard while inside the kitchen.

Mixing painted and natural cabinets with similar tones created a space that allowed some of the cabinetry to feel more furniture-like, while others support the functional use of the space. Carefully adding and subtracting volumes from the kitchen achieved functionality while feeling more open and spacious.

Modifications to the rest of the parlor floor included maintaining the open concept of the living spaces while restoring spatial separation characteristic of Brooklyn townhouses. Large openings provide a sequence of rooms, connecting each space while allowing the living room, dining room, and kitchen to have their own identity.

The center wet bar and coat closet, accentuated in a deep blue color, allowed for central air conditioning and created a physical separation between the living room and dining room, each with their own distinct personality, while maintaining a truly open parlor floor.

This configuration created a dark, closed off hallway when you enter the home. Enlarging openings both between the hallway and living spaces and at the rear wall created visual connections throughout the parlor while providing sightlines to the rear yard from the moment you enter.