{"id":2569,"date":"2024-09-15T23:41:35","date_gmt":"2024-09-15T15:41:35","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/homeofmaterials.com\/2024\/09\/15\/kitchen-of-the-week-new-york-architect-elizabeth-robertss-own-kitchen-update-before-and-after\/"},"modified":"2024-09-15T23:41:35","modified_gmt":"2024-09-15T15:41:35","slug":"kitchen-of-the-week-new-york-architect-elizabeth-robertss-own-kitchen-update-before-and-after","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/homeofmaterials.com\/es\/kitchen-of-the-week-new-york-architect-elizabeth-robertss-own-kitchen-update-before-and-after\/","title":{"rendered":"La cocina de la semana: El antes y el despu\u00e9s de la cocina de la arquitecta neoyorquina Elizabeth Roberts"},"content":{"rendered":"

<\/p>\n

Architect Elizabeth Roberts\u2019s 1866 Italianate townhouse remodel\u2014from SRO to charmingly orderly family quarters in a black-and-white palette\u2014was the first project we photographed for Remodelista: Manual para el hogar considerado<\/em>. During the long process of working on our first book, we returned to Roberts\u2019 place in Brooklyn so many times that it became something like a friend. And so we were happy to receive kitchen update photos out of the blue from Roberts, whose firm, ERA (for Elizabeth Roberts Architects)\u2014then huddled on her top floor and now a team of 21\u2014is one of NYC\u2019s most sought-after design studios: see, for instance, Serial Remodelers Settle Down and A Very Proper Townhouse Remodel.<\/p>\n

\u201cI struggled with renovating my own kitchen,\u201d wrote Elizabeth, who in addition to her architecture credentials has a masters in historic preservation from Columbia. \u201cIt\u2019s hard to find time to work on my own home, but also, though my 12-year-old Ikea cabinets and roughly poured concrete counters were wasting away, I really liked my old kitchen. So when it came time to update my old faithful, I realized that I didn\u2019t want to replace the parts that were perfectly fine. And yet I wanted something fresh and new to show for all of the work that would go into replacing cabinets and counters.\u201d<\/p>\n

Roberts put a lot of thought into the makeover\u2014and what she initially envisioned evolved significantly over time. Which elements were deemed worth preserving, and which  called for replacing? Come see the kitchen as it was, and the results of the new upgrades.<\/p>\n

Photography courtesy of ERA (@elizabeth_roberts_architects), unless noted.<\/p>\n

Antes de<\/h3>\n


Above: Captured when it was new, the kitchen was a model of inventive, cost-conscious design: Ikea cabinets, a cast concrete counter, full-height backsplash of honed Carrara marble tiles, and Wolf range purchased used on Craig\u2019s List. Because the space is visible from the dining room, Roberts opted against overhead cabinets: \u201cthey make a kitchen feel very kitchen-y.\u201d Photograph by Matthew Williams from
\nRemodelista A Manual for the Considered Home<\/em>, pages 76-91. <\/p>\n

En<\/h3>\n

,

Above: When the room started to feel worse for wear, Roberts stepped back and assessed what was working and what could be improved. \u201cThe layout was fine, the Wolf range was great, and the marble backsplash was in perfectly good condition,\u201d she tells us. \u201cReplacing those elements seemed not only wasteful but unnecessary.\u201d But more storage was needed, so Roberts introduced new custom cabinets\u2014even overhead. <\/p>\n

Her current thoughts on the subject? \u201cAfter many years of very little storage and a spare wall, I was ready for a change. I think that the very simple new cabinets add a sort of grid to the wall that doesn\u2019t feel overly \u2018kitchen-y.\u2019 And I love the storage.\u201d<\/p>\n


Above: Roberts replaced her crumbling concrete counter with China Black soapstone from BAS Stone in Queens, NY. Also new: the Pull-down Faucet from Waterstone, Allied Maker Arc Dome pendant light, and Miele dishwasher concealed behind a panel. Not all was a splurge: the cabinet hardware is from Ikea\u2014the U-shaped pulls are the forged-iron Borghamn Handle, and the small knobs are the Nydala, both $7 for two.
\n

Above: The soapstone counter was extended into a sidesplash for storing knives. \u201cIt took a lot of experimentation: we finally got it right when we found a magnet strong enough to hold the knives while embedded in the stone.\u201d The stainless steels knives with the dimpled handles are by Santoku of Japan.,

Above: Roberts tells us that her original vision for the makeover was \u201cto dive deep into a favorite combination of warm dark wood with dark stone. But after a good six months of research, I accepted the fact that teak and other hardwoods with that old, reddish teak tone I love are unattainable\u2014it\u2019s entirely unethical to use old-growth teak. I also explored reclaimed Burmese teak from dismantled buildings, but the work holes and nail holes did not go with the idea in my head.\u201d <\/p>\n

Ultimately, she went with white oak\u2014\u201da domestic wood\u201d\u2014that\u2019s brush-painted to show a bit of grain.\u201dInstead of creating a countertop and cabinets of teak,\u201d she adds, \u201cI now collect mid-century tableware that looks beautiful on the black counters. I delight in the woodwork details found in my 75-year-old wooden bowls, plates, and cutting boards.\u201d Search \u201cvintage Danish teak tableware\u201d on Etsy, eBay, and Chairish to find pieces like the ones shown here. The Flush-Mount Outlets are by Bocci. Wood accents may be welcome, but Roberts still hews to an overall black and white scheme: the tea set on the shelf is vintage Wedgwood.<\/p>\n


Above: The walk-through pantry, located in the passage from the front hall to the kitchen, also received a makeover. Roberts introduced new cabinets and drawers, a panel-faced Fisher & Paykel fridge, plus a \u201ccoffee shrine\u201d for her husband.,<\/p>\n

The walls, trim, and ceiling are painted in Benjamin Moore Cloud White, one of our Architects\u2019 8 Favorite Pure White Paints. The straight black pulls are Ikea\u2019s Gribbol Handle, $6 for two.<\/p>\n


Above: The coffee area\u2014\u201dprobably my favorite part of the kitchen,\u201d says Roberts
\n\u2014<\/em>has a soapstone counter and backsplash detailed with sapele, a precious hardwood that\u2019s a nod to her original vision for the kitchen. The blue Large Mugs and Serving Bowls are by Heath Ceramics.
\n

Above: The rotary light dimmers and toggle switches introduced throughout are from Forbes & Lomax. The artwork is a seaweed print by Roberts, a souvenir of a trip to Brittany\u2014for our how-to, see DIY: Pressed Seaweed Prints.
\n

Above: A view of the updated kitchen from the dining room. Like the coffee niche, the running shelf is sapele wood: \u201cI used a small piece for mid-century-inspired, furniture-like details,\u201d says Roberts.,<\/p>\n

Antes de<\/h3>\n


Above: A star feature of the dining room, shown here as it looked nine years ago, was its fireplace, an existing element that Roberts raised and turned into a pizza oven by inserting a Tuscan Italian Grill from Bella Cucina. Note: the firewood niche below.) The Crate & Barrel dining table had bench seating that fit as many as five people on each side\u2014\u201dbut you get pretty chummy with the person next to you,\u201d said Roberts. See more of the kitchen and dining room as they were in our 2011 House Call. Photograph by Matthew Williams from
\nRemodelista A Manual for the Considered Home<\/em>. <\/p>\n

En<\/h3>\n


Above: The raised hearth and wine glass chandelier (a discontinued design) remain in place, but a Saarinen Dining Table now holds center stage surrounded by vintage Poul Voultier for Frem R\u00f8jle chairs: \u201cmuch better flow through and around the room,\u201d says Roberts of the switch. The vertical bookshelf and other accessories have been supplanted by Mae Shelving from furniture company Radnor\u2014Roberts recently co-curated their NYC showroom.
\n

Above: The kitchen and dining room\u2019s existing wood floor \u201cjust did not hold up to the abuse.\u201d Roberts replaced it with outsized porcelain tiles\u2014and during the construction process introduced energy-efficient radiant heat. \u201cThe tiles clean beautifully: they feel cool in the summer, and we keep them warm in the winter.\u201d <\/p>\n

What will these rooms look like in another 10 years? Stay tuned.<\/p>\n

More Elizabeth Roberts Architects designs:<\/p>\n

    \n
  • Elizabeth Roberts At Home: The Architect\u2019s Own Beach House in Bellport, NY<\/li>\n
  • A Young Familys\u2019 Warm, Minimalist Duplex in Brooklyn <\/li>\n
  • Plain English in Brooklyn Heights: A Very Proper Townhouse Remodel <\/li>\n
  • Steal This Look: A Grand, Double-Height Kitchen in Brooklyn<\/li>\n<\/ul>","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

    La remodelaci\u00f3n de la casa adosada italiana de 1866 de la arquitecta Elizabeth Roberts -de SRO a encantadora y ordenada vivienda familiar en una paleta de blanco y negro- fue el primer proyecto que fotografiamos para Remodelista: A Manual for the Considered Home. Durante el largo proceso de elaboraci\u00f3n de nuestro primer libro, volvimos a la casa de Roberts en Brooklyn tantas veces que se convirti\u00f3 en algo as\u00ed como [...]<\/p>","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":2570,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[5],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-2569","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-diy-projects"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/homeofmaterials.com\/es\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2569","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/homeofmaterials.com\/es\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/homeofmaterials.com\/es\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/homeofmaterials.com\/es\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/homeofmaterials.com\/es\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=2569"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/homeofmaterials.com\/es\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2569\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/homeofmaterials.com\/es\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/2570"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/homeofmaterials.com\/es\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=2569"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/homeofmaterials.com\/es\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=2569"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/homeofmaterials.com\/es\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=2569"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}