OK …
got a kitchen I gotta dream up.
it’s in a “one it’s way to being” restored victorian.
most everything in the 100+ years old house is original.
filled with antiques.
So next big job is the kitchen.
which right now is just a half gutter semiworking kitchen that’ll be gutted to the studs and built out from there.
Some ideas the homeowner aleady has …. definite tin ceiling.
flooring undecided as of yet … we’re leaning toward cork of some sort.
there’s the back of a big brick fireplace that’s to be left exposed. Thoughts of a cut thru FP still remain but she’s thinking that’ll be the best spot for a “commercial-look” range …
one 5′ long cubby/wall with house some sorta site built “baking center” … will end up looking like a hoosier … with all her baking applicances being hidden behind doors or drawers and on full extension glides … will have some sorta “power panel” and cord management system so they’ll hopefully just slide in and out .. ready to use.
that’ll be floor to tin ceiling.
also … there is a little boxed out “bay” window area …. 3 wided deal … that’s to be the garden center … complete with custom tin planting station that drains into the basement drains … it’ll have the tin thing as a base … full width shelves from window to window.
It’s a pretty big kitchen space.
so aside from the small eat-in table she’ll pick up last ….
I gotta come up with some cabinet ideas that look the part.
furniture like … or old style built ins.
Anyone have any good ideas and/or pics?
as for exact era … she’s thinking ….”evolved” …. just wants it to look as it grew along with the house. Doesn’t have to be 100% reproduction.
she is going to try and fit a single burner with pot filling station somewhere.
I have one “end” that’s a typical wall with widnows … current sink centered …
“U” shaped deal.
That’ll be the main focus of the cabs …
the other areas have already pretty much worked themselves out.
Who’s got some nice ideas …
btw … if site built … most likely a painted finish.
Have a nice part of your existing kitchen? Take a pic …
Jeff
Buck Construction
Artistry in Carpentry
Pgh, PA
Replies
Find some some historical houses of the period and look at their kitchens. Of course, they'll be nothing like what she wants. Kitchens in farm homes of the 19th century were big and were gathering places, because that's where the only heating stove was. But kitchens in grand houses of the era were tiny, dank places, as the other rooms had individual fireplaces for warmth. She must have more money than wit, so you should be able to employ that to your advantage.
uhhh .. that's the point.
we looking for ways to help a fully modern/hard working kitchen "feel" as if it belongs.
Have tons of ideas .... but the more pics the better.
But hey ... thanks for insulting my customer though!
Jeff Buck Construction
Artistry in Carpentry
Pgh, PA
Ol;d House Journal
View Image
Sojourners: Christians for Justice and Peace
got that end covered too ...
the customer has stacks and stacks of OHJ that I flip thru over lunch ...
I'm remembering why I never subscribed ... they're lacking in specific info.
But ... I have been remembering to stop at the book store and get the new issues ...
gotta stay one step ahead.
I hoping I can uncover a few up close and personal pics of details that people around here have used and liked.
Jeff Buck Construction
Artistry in Carpentry
Pgh, PA
You can get a glimpse of 6 different Vic kitchens here.http://www.e-restores.com/victorian/kitchen.htmKnowledge is power, but only if applied in a timely fashion.
thanks ... I have to take a deeper look into their site ...
might be able to use them for more than just pics/ideas ....
Jeff Buck Construction
Artistry in Carpentry
Pgh, PA
Jeff
I looked at the pic's that Goldhiller suggested, skip that #2 idea, all that old graniteware is going to blow the budget.
As a ex-collector of the stuff your looking at several thousand dollars worth of the stuff there.
If I was looking for something in the Victorian era I would consider beadboard look, maybe just flush insert door/drawers. Either would be Victorian. Some sort of long corbels on the end of the uppers. Not fancy carved ones, just some simple S curves corbel ends.
Also remember that back then they didn't have HD or Lowes to go buy a full set of kitchen cabs from.
I been in a lot of Victorians, both expensive and average. The expensive had big kitchens but were rather blah, not necessarily meant to be for show.
One thing that has caught on in the design of new kitchens is an old idea. The kitchen was a conglomeration of cabinets and furniture/cupboards alike.
I think you have that idea in mind( I seen that web site that you referred to about a week back, the one that was charging for their catalog). Obviously the trick is to get the ideas all together. Probably try several of the kitchen cab web sites.
I'd try to make the cabs look a lot like a Victorian style but fill every drawer and cabinet with the latest and greatest new kitchen gadget.
The amenities, that's where the money is!
You must have some big fancy kitchen cabinet shop in Pittsburgh area, could you have someone help you design something... Just spit balling here.
Doug
yeah ... I have a coupla design shops I can hit.
that's a bit of a problem in itself .... which "friend" do I go to!
my battle plan .. since I'm pretty sure this is going to be a combo box install/custom built-in project ... is to get all my ducks in a row then call my fav designer in and pay what every her asking price is to tie it all together. She's a kitchen pro that does whole house .. interior and exterior. May even have her work up the plans that I crudely sketch for the 2 story back porch I'll be building after the kitchen.
found a decent site ... sent off a request.
http://www.crown-point.com have heard of them .. never worked with them. Don't like the "buy direct" deal ... aside from no lookie/no touchie ... that leads me to think everyone get's my "special price" ... but they do look to be top notch stuff.
btw .. got an email back from that other place. said they'd be happy to work with me ... but basically want me to buy the brocuhres. I'll send it back and say just send what ever's free ... might be misreading their intent ... but I think selling pics of their cabs is the primary biz and selling actual cab's is secondery.
Jeff
Buck Construction
Artistry in Carpentry
Pgh, PA
Jeff
I've installed one kitchen with CrownPoint cabs. They are real nice, very well made. I didnt order them so no idea what they cost, heard the owner grumble a bit about that so I assume they didnt give them away.
I remember seeing a Victorian kitchen on there web site.
Doug
We have crown point cabinets in our home, if I built the cabinets myself we would not have kitchen cabinets yet. Crown Point builds well made high quality cabinets, also upper end of price scale. The people at Crown Point are a pleasure to do business with, I sent them a layout of our kitchen and they came up with a cabinet design plan that was 98% what we were looking for on the first try. The cabinets were expensive but they are built more like furniture, I don't regret spending the money.
jeff.... i've seen shaggy's kitchen... it's the real mc coy...
good point about the kitchens then being built for the servants
another retro kitchen i always think of (beside's my mom's ) is the one in JFK's birthplace in Brookline, MA.. try googling on JFK birthplace
my mom's kitchen was built in 1927 during a good economic time..
all electric.. when we moved into the house in '54 the appliances were a little long in the tooth. the GE range had one of those deep fryers..and a single small oven
the compressor was still mounted on top of the fridge..
that was one lousy kitchen... had 6 doors in it.. hall, dr, pantry, back door,basement, & closet... and a 7th door for the in-wall ironing board
almost no wall space.. the cabinets were all in the pantry..i'm guessing 6x6.
lots of windows with sills below standard counter ht
i think a lot of those kitchen plans in the '20's used a pantry for the cabinet space
edit: also...all of the wall cabinets were glass front.. usually with about 6"x8" lights
Mike Smith Rhode Island : Design / Build / Repair / Restore
Edited 2/21/2005 10:12 am ET by Mike Smith
Edited 2/21/2005 10:15 am ET by Mike Smith
Here in Richmond, Va., in the historic area, I see a lot of homes from the early 1900's. My favorite kitchens, that blend in the best for me, have painted raised panel cabinets. You could also check into soapstone counter tops. They have a beautiful look with out the glossy hardness granite. Sounds like an exciting project. Good luck!
Coming to you from beautiful Richmond, Va.
soap stone's gonna be in there somewhere ...
I'm thinking in the main U shaped heart of the kitchen.
the baking center will most likely be some sorta hoosier looking deal with a marble rolling top.
There'll be some butcherblock too ...
gonn ahev it all ... which is why I need lotsa ideas and pics up front ... so it flows instead of looking like one big mess.
as my old H.S. art insturctor used to say ...
blend and flow ....
blend and flow ....
Jeff Buck Construction
Artistry in Carpentry
Pgh, PA
dover books always have great reference pictures. wrong period, but i have a book called "flapper furniture" (1920's) that shows how things were set up.
often, furniture and style carried over from an earlier era. IOW, lotsa people in, say, the 20's, especially those who didn't have the money to update a kitchen, were still outfitted with victorian era.
may find some nifty ideas overlooked in current revival fads.
I could tell you, but I'm not sure I should. After all, you're just a bit "tempermental". Not to mention too much of a smart azz to learn anything.
Oh well, I'll give it a try. Forget putting in those boxes, and forget the cutesy pretend Victorian/antiquey-type kitchen reno photos. Your HO has the right feel. Start out thinking, if the guy who originally built this place was here today to do it again, what would he build? By starting out with this mindset, you can accomodate all modern applicances/conveniences/needs, but do it the way the house wants it done.
Back then kitchens in fine houses were built for servants. They used linoleum on the floors, soapstone on most of the counters, except the cutting counter (butcher block) and baking counter (white marble-used to be carrera but carrera sucks today so use white statuary marble). The cabs were called "dressers", and were built on-site. There were NO boxes. You could crawl from one end to the other inside the cabs. They were built to the wall, with great big brackets attaching the lowers to the uppers. There were drawers above each lower cab door and usually an open shelf attached to the brackets just below the upper cabs. The casings were all flat stock with eased edges, because servants didn't need ornamental designs; the kitchen was pure function. The hinges were on the surface, as were the cupboard latches, with ball tipped hinges above and flat below. All hardware was nickelplated; never brass. The cabs were always painted white (or off white). And there was usually pull outs under the counters for additional work space. Uppers would have glass fronts with divided lights; lowers were solid, simple fronts. A little detail is that the drawers on the lowers would be an inch longer in width than the doors.
The marble baking surface was set 6 inches lower than the base counter height. There was a soapstone 6" backsplash and then tiled walls for sanitary purposes.
The stove would have a brick wall behind it, a concrete pad beneath it and nothing on either side of it OR set into a brick walled alcove. It would be a huge monster, which is comparable to a true commercial range today. Tell your HOs that they can get a real commercial range if they prepare for it that will cook the pants off the pretend commercial ranges at half the price. Tin ceilings were commercial, not residential, and completely unnecessary in a working kitchen since they were a cheap way to get a decorative coffered look. It was more likley that they would have a bead board or accoustical tile ceiling, to keep the kitchen noise from being heard.
The sink would be free standing and large. It would located near the butler's pantry, which of course is where the dishes would be stored. It would open beneath.
That's all I can think of now. Or you can just buy pretend antique cabs from home depot. Whatever suits you.
SHG
Actually SHGLAW, my house, built 1900, has two original tin ceilings. One is in the kitchen, and one is in my dining room.Coming to you from beautiful Richmond, Va.
always an exception.
tin ceilings were the poor man's way to get a fancy ceiling. good houses did not have tin; they had wood or plaster if the owner wanted an ornate ceiling, which was a victorian hallmark.
sounds a hint like your kitch cept for the free standing sink...posta pic of your butlers pantry and that slave clock you have.
####The secret of Zen in two words is, "Not always so"!
When we meet, we say, Namaste'..it means..
I honor the place in you where the entire universe resides,
I honor the place in you of love, of light, of truth, of peace.
I honor the place within you where if you are in that place in you
and I am in that place in me, there is only one of us.
and oh yeh....I know I need to visit you again and drop off the knob and see your beadboard bath work....its just been a hair insane here with work and waiting for deliveries.
My kitch almost sounds like the one you described cept you can't crawl through the shelves....theyre cabs....painted white and distressed paint rubed off on worn coners.
All nickle plated simple knobs and pulls below.
All soapstone counters I personally cut, sanded four times and oiled.
I was daring and had the island 8x5 done in a cherry color....with one base corner cab there with see through windows to put grains or whatever in. I even threw a cpl a rooster knobs on those two drawers cause this used to be a working farm and I wanted to get a bit cutesy...sorry...lol.I totally agree about tin ceilings by the way....plus IMO it busys things up too much....I also agree about bead boarding the ceiling or do nothing at all.My sub zero has the distressed cab face on it and the Viking is gas.
The Bosch dishwasher is intigrated and has cab faces on it and knobs and a pull so you'd never know what it was.The ceilings are about 9' and I have two moldings on top of the cabs....cut one out of white distressed flat stock then the crown to the ceiling....damn...makes me har.....oops...sorry...its just that KAtrina and me are so in love with it...not to mention the wide plank pine floors with rose heads.....does this sound like I'm bragging a bit? TOUGH!
Be well bro
a...The secret of Zen in two words is, "Not always so"!
When we meet, we say, Namaste'..it means..
I honor the place in you where the entire universe resides,
I honor the place in you of love, of light, of truth, of peace.
I honor the place within you where if you are in that place in you
and I am in that place in me, there is only one of us.
so come on by today. I'll go plow the driveway so your rickety old heep, I mean Jeep, can make it up. Just don't come during my nap time. I get grouchy.
Shagadelic....
Maybe tomorrow...my guy is here today and we're using the old floor fot he powder room walls...turning it to wainscotting being as hard as I tried it won't work on the floors upstairs...I tried everything from running it through my planer to sanding it....My floor guy says forget about it cause its tooooooo irregular. Thats what made me thought it'd look great for wainscott in the powder room.....
Katrina is paying Jolie ten bucks an hour to help her strip it upstairs on some saw horses. She's at HD right now getting the stripper.
My guy is cutting it all to size and I stripped one plank and it'll work fine.....gotta go....he's calling me (for a change.
Later
a...The secret of Zen in two words is, "Not always so"!
When we meet, we say, Namaste'..it means..
I honor the place in you where the entire universe resides,
I honor the place in you of love, of light, of truth, of peace.
I honor the place within you where if you are in that place in you
and I am in that place in me, there is only one of us.
Andy-
Got any pics of the kitchen and floors yet? I'd love to have a look.....
I am pretty much over flowing with knowledge ...
but ...
How'za bout some pics of your place?
while we're at it ... Andy .... U too.
she's talking sub zero ... freeze drawers with false fronts.
gonna try to hide everything behind a panel.
stove won't be real commercial ... too much heat. we're not running a restraunt here .. just cooking T-Giving dinner.
Thanks All ....
Jeff
Buck Construction
Artistry in Carpentry
Pgh, PA
just took some quick pics. gonna try to get them up here. it's early, so I can't promise I got everything in here, but if you want to see any details, let me know.
as I was looking for more ideas ... I remembered I had Jim Tolpins Building Traditional Kitchen Cabinets book laying around somewhere.
Funny because even though that book pretty much gives step by step for a certain set of cabs ... I never looked at it as to be specific to those particular cabs ... more of an all inclusive cab building book.
So I find the book ... and look at the cover ...
and I see what just might be the perfect set of cabs for this lady!
Dropped it off today for her to look at.
Again ... thanks for all the pics ... every little bit helps.
Jeff Buck Construction
Artistry in Carpentry
Pgh, PA
shagadelic... i'm only gonna do this once.. and only cause we broke bread together..
i'm going to resize your pics..
i used Irfanview , which you should download.. 'cause it's freeware and it's very good at what it does
i use it mostly for resizing... i use ThumbsPlus for all my other digital work
here's a download site... i usually use the tucows one.. but they are all the same thing.. no bad experiences with tucows
http://www.irfanview.com/
now.. as to your pics , i'll take them home and download them there.. i'm still locked out of attaching files here at the office...
see you in a bit
Mike Smith Rhode Island : Design / Build / Repair / Restore
appreciate the help Mike. Photos aren't my thing. Plus, when I took them this morning, and uploaded them here, I only had 3 cups, so I was about a gallon short. It's good to have friends.
here they come...
then i'm gonna go watch "Boys Don't Cry".. ever since i saw MillionDollar Baby.. i wanted to see this one
View Image
that glass front wall cabinet is so typical of the period
Mike Smith Rhode Island : Design / Build / Repair / Restore
Edited 2/22/2005 7:20 pm ET by Mike Smith
here's the other 3....
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Mike Smith Rhode Island : Design / Build / Repair / Restore
Edited 2/22/2005 7:24 pm ET by Mike Smith
thanks again Mike.
You notice that I go through the trouble of taking pics, as asked a few times by young Jeff, and then you go through the trouble of making them fit, and nobody even looks at them?
Next time young Jeff asks for something...
SHG
now, now , maestro ...
eventually someone will wander thru the louvre and recognize our work..
patienceMike Smith Rhode Island : Design / Build / Repair / Restore
jesus .. whadda ya want ... a bouquet of balloons sent to your office!
I said thanks.
if I didn't look at them ... then how'd I already steal them to a disk that my home owner hopefully looked at last nite?
now I'm not saying thankx ... same as I don't give the wife flowers when she pushes too hard .... ya can't rush the love buddy ... we gotta take things slow.
Jeff Buck Construction
Artistry in Carpentry
Pgh, PA
awfully defensive for the guy doing the asking. I didn't realize that it was in that vague group "thanks" that came before Mike even started his artistry.
I've added a photo of a period bathroom, just in case.
View Image
Jeff - Have you ever heard of Johnny Grey? British (I think) architect who's big thing is kitchen furniture. Not necessarilly Victorian era, but using many practical ideas like various working heights for various tasks, different work surfaces for baking, cooking, around sink etc, using various colors and types of cabinets in the same kitchen to add visual interest, stuff like that. Could be very helpful for you and your customer.
I really like his book "Kitchen" ISBN O-7894-1449-X. He gives lots of examples of cabinet designs you don't see every day and spends quite a bit of text explaining the whys of design. He was my introduction to kitchen furniture and has stood me in good stead over the past few years.
His book "Hardworking House" is okay, too, but doesn't deal nearly as much with kitchens.
I've posted these photos lots of time but they might help. This customer designed these herself so the fit her tastes as far as integrating modern appliances with traditional cabinetry. I have quite a few more shots of this kitchen if it will help.
That workmanship and design are both magnificent.
Browsing this thread, and thinking that the original post was for inspiration, I kept thinking of one place that the homeowner and you might look for inspiration - period movies /television series etc that showed the kitchens and pantries of the Victorian/Edwardian periods, but in the weathy households featured in PBS/ BBC stuff. Think "Upstairs Downstairs".
Although they were kitchens-for-servants, they are big enough to appeal to modern folk. A large display of collections of period cookware works perfectly. The space, and stuff, were way more than a normal victorian family of 5 would ever have owned, but which would have been justifiable to a household used to seated dinner parties for 20.
Elements that come to mind:
- large central harvest table - solid as all get out, beat up- lowish - how else could cook (a 5' tall matron) lean into kneading all that bread. The table has a lower shelf holding larger items, like baskets and crocks.
- base cabs more like sideboards or furniture. Footed. Panel front doors should have cutouts to avoid the damp, and be footed more like furniture. Doubt anyone wants to actually use curtains to hide the lower shelves, instead of cab doors.
- Uppers that are NOT matchy-matchy to the base cabinets (as they would be today) but more like wall-mounted decorative shelves or pantries and EXACTLY as SHGLAW has shown. Or, they might be of varied vintage and the cabinet done up most nicely could be for the fine-china, or pies, whereas other deeper shelves were for the rough-n-ready cookware and be of more rugged, casual construction.
- definitely glass in pantry and upper cab fronts - if doors at all - think lace fronted in fact, for the few that are covered at all.
- Maybe a big chair for someone to sit all day polishing the silver and gossiping.
If you really want to do it right for a North American rural setting- build two kitchens. A summer and winter one - the latter separated from the house by a breezeway to keep the stove from making the house unbearable.
Where did you get the cabinet hardware? I need some for windows.Thanks!
SHG
What you described for the "rich mans" kitchen is probably correct.
But that is not how the "average mans" kitchen was. Not even close.
The middle class kitchens were not intended to have servants therefor they were done completely different.
I've seen quite a few and none were as you describes.
Doug
Doug
Not sure why you're being so arrogant....If you-re read what SHGLAW wrote you may understand. seems as though you're being a bit unreasonable.
Break down your complaints about what he wrote and explain in detail what he said was wrong.Personally I "know" he's a 100% right on.Cabs were made with planks that ran through the entire carcass therefore eliminating separating elements therefore costing less money. Built in place.Soapstone was very inexpensive and easy to work with ...even easier than Butcherblock or any other wood counter.Remember soapstone in your science lab classroom? That's what was in all my science lab classrooms in the "projects" I went to school in.Before you jump down someone's throat cause they may have a bit O' cash....back up you're objections.I've been to Shglaws house and yeh....its up there but done in style with everything done incredibly well due to his understanding of "the right way".....probably more than mine and I'm just a poor schmuck trying to live beyond my means as an investment in myself.So lets hear why you find him so objectionable bro.This I have to hear.
Be jealous???
a...The secret of Zen in two words is, "Not always so"!
When we meet, we say, Namaste'..it means..
I honor the place in you where the entire universe resides,
I honor the place in you of love, of light, of truth, of peace.
I honor the place within you where if you are in that place in you
and I am in that place in me, there is only one of us.
Yo bro. I'm okay with Doug disagreeing with me. When you come over here next time, bring your camera and take some photos for Jeff.
Also Jeff, the info on toe kicks was absolutely correct. There were only cut outs at the locations where someone would specifically stand at the counter, with no toe kick anywhere else. Also, the sides of the cut outs were cut to mirror the shape of the upper cab brackets. This was the carps way of making it look professional. If Andy takes some photos, or I can figure out how to put photos up here and get some time to take them, I'll show you what I'm talking about.
SHG
Hey Doug,
Kitchens were kitchens back then. They were purely functional and utilitarian. Now if you're talking about farmhouse kitchens, that's another story, but Jeff is dealing with an east coast Victorian, and that was not a poor man's house. Even middle class had at least one servant at the turn of the century, and kitchens were still kitchens.
IMERC told me you do great work. But I know my period rooms.
SHG
Shag
IMERC told me you do great work. But I know my period rooms.
What the hell kind of condescending comment is that?
I know my period rooms as well.
I didn't grow up out east but the midwest was only about 10 years behind in building practices, I doubt that a lot was done differently.
Also you are probably in a more densely populated area, therefore more of a sample to draw from.
We didn't live in mud huts though.
Jeff, if your reading all this crap, sorry, not trying to get off track regarding your subject. I'm done, unless Andy needs me to explain myself to someone else.
Doug
I probably am wrong....I usually am.
Be well dude
a...The secret of Zen in two words is, "Not always so"!
When we meet, we say, Namaste'..it means..
I honor the place in you where the entire universe resides,
I honor the place in you of love, of light, of truth, of peace.
I honor the place within you where if you are in that place in you
and I am in that place in me, there is only one of us.
If U girls are done with the hissy fit ...
some more pics would be great.
and I've been looking for servants the whole time ... can't find a one.
can't even find that second set of service stairs ... so I guess a regular kitchen will do just fine?
great pics so far ... let's see amo and andy's set ups.
Jeff Buck Construction
Artistry in Carpentry
Pgh, PA
I know what you mean about not being able to find servants. I gave up and converted the cooks bedroom to an office, and the butlers quarters to a guest suite. Guests are easier to come by than butlers. And the cooks staircase was just taking up room, so now it is a closet."Jeeves, would you see that my shirts are folded and pressed before my trip next week?"
whatever.
SHG
I guess Andy had to come to your rescue!!! :)
I don't think that I came across as arrogant but if the great and all knowing Andy says so than it must be. hell hes never wrong.
My statement stands. I have seen many real Victorian kitchens, and as you so aptly described the rich peoples kitchen, those that had servants, were considerably different than those belonging to people of modest means.
I'm not debating the construction of the cabinet. Weather or not it was poor mans or rich mans cabinets they were built in a similar manner.
There was more ornamentation in the "average income" household. It was part of the house that they used. The rich people didn't use the kitchen(much) therefore no frills for the help.
I've seen quite a few and none were as you described.
Maybe that statement was misleading a bit, my mistake. What I was thinking and not putting into words was that the average man's kitchens were not like the ones that you described. I've been in quite a few of the "rich mans" Victorian homes and they were just as you described them.
If I've offended your delicate ego then my most humble apology is offered. That was not my intent. Just stating some facts as I know them.
Before you jump down someone's throat cause they may have a bit O' cash....back up you're objections.
I didnt consider that you had money, now I really am sorry!!! Hey Andy, thats sarcasm, dont bother to chastise me
Doug
Edited 2/21/2005 10:37 pm ET by Doug@es
I recently used this cork flooring product in a 1920's Saker Hrights, OH home. Great to work with, and the homeowners are absolutely thrilled. It is a floating floor system, and the 1' x 3' pieces snap together. They have a variety of colors. I purchased it through Prosource here in Cleveland.
http://www.naturalcork.com/main.html
click on "products", then "floating floors", then "styles" to see the colors available.
- Steve
Steve,Does this cork product have to be sealed on a regular basis? We're in Columbus, and we are thinking about using cork in the kitchen at some point in time.
Jeff-
OHJ is an okay source. But, if you can lay hands on a few issues of Victorian Homes magazines, especially some of the older ones, I think you'll see lotsa cabinets and kitchens. Seemed like there was a new kitchen in every issue.
One thing that seems to say "old" today is the toe-kick on the bottoms. There isn't one. They use feet or cut a "skirt" (maybe the wrong word), like you would find on the bottom of a piece of freestanding furniture like a hutch. On the paint colors, they did use a lot of white - it was considered sanitary. But we don't have as many servents to wash it down with lye soap and there are some nifty paint colors out there. Using different colors on the cabinets can help make it look like the kitchen evolved. Beadboard is a definite. Depending on the house, the doors could have been flat panel, like a shaker style, or rarely, raised panel. (Again, think of where the dirt would catch.)
Good luck.
Don
Anaglypta, Lincrusta, and/or beaded wainscoating. (www.vandykes.com)
Jeff,
Here are a couple of pictures of some cabinets I built this winter for a 1890's kitchen.
I copied an original cabinet from the house that had been removed during a remuddling. It was out in the garage with motor oil and stuff in it.
Just simple frame and flat panel doors. We found new repro hardware exactly like the original.
Don't know if these help, but if they do--I have some more.
Hi Jeff. Here's how I did my ceiling. I don't have them done yet but I am currently making solid cherry upper cabinets.
Jeff,
If she has the cash and really wants to give the Kitchen an historic look she should consider getting an original wood burning cook stove. She can get one that has been reconditioned with new gas or electric burners.
http://www.goodtimestove.com/
Mike K
Amateur Home Remodeler in Aurora, Illinois
that would be great ... but budget busting.
just looking for modern conviences that fit the house.
I've actually looked into similar a coupla times in the past for customers ... haven't had anyone follow thru yet ... once you go that fat ... it's all or nothing. The extra's add up quickly ... one of those stoves ... and ya better hide the microwave real good!
Jeff Buck Construction
Artistry in Carpentry
Pgh, PA
Jeff,
Here are a couple of pics of a kitchen I did in an 1890's Victorian.
The cabinets were from Crown Point ( I think another post mentioned them as well). They are mahogany, and built to look furniture like. Not cheap by any means, but nice.
Floor is real linoleum tiles, which I think looks pretty cool.
Stove is by Heartland. Thoroughly modern guts, but made to look old time.
Countertops are soapstone.
Tin ceiling is from an outfit in Ontario, whose name escapes me right now.
Other trim details are replicating the old casing & rosettes, and a bead board wainscot. I used Nantucket bead board, which comes in 4x8 sheets. Nice stuff, especially since it has a good deep beading profile, which looks identical to wood.
Mike
very nice.
Jeff Buck Construction
Artistry in Carpentry
Pgh, PA
Mike,Nice Kitchen. What's the material on the ceiling, tin?Mike K
Amateur Home Remodeler in Aurora, Illinois
Most people don't realize that old kitchens didn't have cabinets, so to make a kitchen in the style, that never existed, is going to be a creative adventure. If one recreated the look of a 100 yr old kitchen it would be of interest as a museum piece but no woman would be satisfied in it. How do you make a dishwasher, refrigerator look 100 yrs old? Can't be done. The best you can do is to avoid the look of continuous built-in cabinets. Make each section look like individual pieces of furniture and give some, or maybe all, legs, not toekicks.