furbish

written by Sara Woffard

Few will debate that the kitchen is the heart and soul of a home. Whatever the size and shape of a residence, magic happens in the kitchen. It's the creative center for amazing smells, tastes, conversations and laughter.

Melissa Portfolio, a longtime design enthusiast and mother of two, had all this in mind when she was considering renovating the kitchen in her 1920s colonial home. She and her husband, photographer Saul Palomo, had moved to Northern New Jersey looking for more room for their growing family, and Portfolio had specific ideas for redefining her space. She hired interior designer Uma Stewart of Furbish Home in Millburn, NJ to bring it to reality. "We wanted the renovation to be functional, stylish and modern-something unusual. But we are talking about a 1920s colonial. It couldn't be too modern," says Portfolio.

The first time Portfolio entered the Furbish showroom, she responded to Stewart's design aesthetic - the selection of fine furnishings, accessories, clean colors, light and open space. The two instantly connected over ideas for Portfolio's kitchen, which needed to include an art wall for her husband's photography and an eating area. Stewart worked closely with Portfolio, getting to know her personality, likes and dislikes before embarking on the project. "Melissa had a very clear idea about how she wanted the space to feel, and I was able to grasp that right away," says Stewart.

As with every project, Stewart began by sketching out the room layout two ways in order for Portfolio to better envision the design possibilities. Once approval was given, Stewart knocked down the walls that had divided the space into kitchen, mudroom, pantry and breakfast nook. Architect Cami Zelevansky from Maplewood, NJ came on board to create a set of plans for the builders and to facilitate the permitting process.

With the newly open space, Stewart carved out a small powder room, but left the remainder of the room open, with an area to fit a sizeable table. French doors and casement windows were built into the outside wall, creating a visual connection with the outdoor porch and a vast wall of windows and light.

One of Stewart's biggest challenges was to create synergy between the kitchen and the rest of the house. She started by choosing wide floorboards in a charcoal grey finish made of eco-friendly engineered hardwood. The grey floor both stood out in its modern yet rustic beauty, but also flowed well with the slimmer planks that connected it to the rest of the house.

To expand countertop area and create visual interest, Stewart placed the stove on a caddy corner. Additional casement windows above the sink and open shelving on the main wall further opened up the space. The stainless steel appliances added both a contemporary feel while complementing the variety of grays and whites throughout the room.

Upon entering the room, the maple cabinets seem to glow with a finish in a custom pale taupe with gray undertones. Designed by Stewart then refined by a woodworker, they evoke a softness bordering on rustic, but the absence of raised panels, crown moldings and other embellishments keeps the look modern and sleek. The storage space is twice what it was in the former kitchen.

Portfolio and Stewart selected Calcutta Gold marble with a white background and warm gray and taupe veining. Stewart chose Benjamin Moore colors "Vanilla Milkshake" and "Pale Oak" for the walls, both "not-quite-white" whites that bring in another level of subtle dimension.

The powder room sits off the main kitchen like a little jewel. The fun floral graphic print wallpaper in taupe and yellow from Kravet Echo Home is modern and ties in to colors found in the living room. For the floor, Portfolio chose an affordable but upscale-looking porcelain tile found by Stewart in a modern rectangular shape in a dark matte grey-brown. The tiles are large, resulting in a playful contrast with the limited space of the powder room.

Overall, the layout of this kitchen, its materials and the subtlety of colors and finishes make it feel magical. It is warm, light, modern and stylish, but without all the hard edges and contrasting bright colors that are so often part and parcel of a contemporary look. It seamlessly flows with the rest of the house and reflects the spirit of its owner. "It's my dream," says Portfolio. "Everyday I come down and am so happy this is my kitchen. It's a place I want to be."