A radiant 2020s kitchen for a 1950s Elmhurst home
A lifelong friend of the Pickell family, when Barb casually mentioned that instead of moving things around to accommodate a new oven, she should just redo the kitchen, Tina Pickell’s response was swift. “Absolutely!” was all she had to say.
When they moved into their home more than 40 years ago, the first thing Barbara and Keith did was update the 1950s-era kitchen. Since then, they’ve upgraded and added on to the home, while the kitchen continued to serve them well. Recently, however, the desire for a new Wolf steam oven spurred a stunning renovation that suits the home and these frequent entertainers’ current lifestyle.
Having studied kitchen design in college, Barb knew what she was looking for. “There are no windows and the cabinets were all a medium oak, so I wanted it all lighter. I was concerned, though, about how a white kitchen would flow with the oak millwork in the other rooms,” she recalled. The solution? Matching the kitchen window and door frames to the oak molding in the rest of the home for a seamless aesthetic.
Even though the kitchen is compact, the layout makes it very workable. A Wolf gas cooktop and twin ovens—one with steam—as well as two sinks make the space exceedingly efficient for two people. Cabinet fronts on the Sub-Zero refrigerator, a geometric mosaic backsplash and countertops in the same color family as the millwork create visual continuity, so the kitchen feels open and uncluttered.
“The Pickell team was easy to work with,” adds Barb, noting that she’s glad she agreed with the recommendation to step up to a six-burner cooktop. Other touches add to the livability of the space. A wraparound countertop and cabinetry extend the kitchen and expand storage, including a glass display cabinet for Barb’s intricately designed Polish ceramics. “The lighting and glass shelves really show it off,” she notes. “I wouldn’t have thought of that.” In addition, a corner bookshelf holds a large cookbook collection in what might otherwise have been a wasted space. Two-level utensil and silverware drawers, built-in cutting boards, and a magic corner cabinet all make the kitchen a perfect fit.
“It’s very pretty,” sums up Barb. “The mixture of pulls and knobs. The drawers for pots and mixing bowls. It’s the touches. That’s what make it special—the touches.”