01
Project Details
Project Story
They say good things come to those who wait. It’s a sentiment that certainly holds true regarding the addition to a circa 1917 Georgian center hall Colonial in New Canaan, CT. The renovation was three years in the making, as the homeowner explains: one year for planning and two for building the addition, which includes a kitchen, butler’s pantry, potting room, laundry room, and master bed and bath.
With a background in fine arts and a vision of how she wanted her kitchen to look, the homeowner brought in Julianne Stirling, ASID, to help bring her ideas to fruition. Both the designer and the homeowner characterize themselves as decorating soulmates. “Working with the client was the most rewarding part because she loves details as much as I do,” says Stirling.
The two decided on a traditional-style kitchen that would certainly be more in keeping with the house’s heritage than the previous version in Formica and melamine. The new kitchen features a French country look with curved lines and knotty alderwood cabinets in a medium honey finish. Glass-fronted doors and open shelving give the homeowner plenty of space to showcase her collection of blue-and-white china.
But don’t let the traditional demeanor fool you. This kitchen and the adjacent butler’s pantry don’t skimp on appliances and amenities, which include a Wolf range, refrigerator drawers in the marble-topped baking island, and two Sub-Zero refrigerators. Stirling created a hutch in an antiqued green patina and placed it between the refrigerators to “soften their appearance.”
Green accents are used throughout the kitchen. The countertop near the sink is black granite with green flecks, and the backsplash is a gentle celadon. “Green is calming for me,” explains the homeowner, adding that the ample number of windows expand the kitchen to the outdoors and allow her to look over the four-acre property that includes old-foliage trees and a pool.
The color green transitions to the potting room, which features green counters and decorative fabrics in green and white. Here is where the homeowner looks forward to planning and working in her gardens. Green is also a dominant color in the master bath—the homeowner explains that the room was inspired by her aqua-and-glass crystal chandelier; the color is picked up in the green tile by Waterworks.
The result of this extensive project is a beautiful new wing that was certainly worth waiting for. “It’s everything I thought it would be,” the homeowner says. “After all the work, it’s wonderful to be able to sit down and feel the joy of accomplishment.”
