Two in One
Designer David Cook shakes up the heart of a historic home by flipping the dining and kitchen areas and adding on prep space
While blessed with historic charm, this 1920s Buckhead home had a problem common to a lot of older dwellings: a cramped, oddly shaped kitchen. So the homeowners, who love to cook and entertain, enlisted kitchen expert David Cook of Design Galleria Kitchen and Bath Studio to create a brighter, more functional space.
Though a wall between the kitchen and dining room had previously been removed to allow for a more open-concept feeling, a peninsula with a cooktop awkwardly divided the two spaces. A narrow opening adjacent to the peninsula offered the only pathway between the rooms.
“Making both areas work together seamlessly was the biggest challenge,” says Cook. He played with options that reconfigured the existing kitchen, but in a light bulb moment, Cook decided to “just change everything,” flipping the kitchen and dining spaces. “Once we swapped the rooms, things just started falling into place and the layout made much more sense,” he explains.
A 9-foot steel window now anchors the sink wall, and additional prep space came in the form of a central island that also creates better flow to the new dining area, where a plush custom banquette is flanked by hutches—one for glass and serve ware and the other for storing coats, dog leashes and more. Given the home’s small footprint, maximum efficiency was always top of mind. It’s also what inspired the integration of a bar into the dining area. When hosting, the couple can serve up drinks not far from the conversation around the table, plus keep an eye on what’s simmering on the range.
Contrasting but complementary color schemes—light and airy in the kitchen, dark and cozy in the dining area—delineate the spaces, while a feature wall of mosaic textured tile selected by interior designer Brian Watford adds texture and depth to the overall look.
“Each space has its own personality,” says Cook. “But they really function as a cohesive unit now.”
KITCHEN DESIGN Design Galleria Kitchen and Bath Studio, designgalleria.net INTERIOR DESIGN Brian Watford Interiors, brianwatford.com CABINETRY Downsview Kitchens through Design Galleria Kitchen and Bath Studio HARDWARE Buster + Punch, busterandpunch.com HOOD & FLOORING François & Co. francoisandco.com BACKSPLASH & MOSAIC TILE Renaissance Tile & Bath, renaissancetileandbath.com
Check out the other 2021 Kitchen contest winners…
