KITCHENS & BATHS

After a fire, a Mediterranean villa in Minneapolis gets a suitable new kitchen.

“We’d loved that our 1928 home was intact— with historic woodwork, arches, iron, and tile,” homeowner Kathy Moccio begins. She explains that a house fire in 2015 created a painful, disorienting loss. The roof and much of the second floor were consumed, and reconstruction was necessary due to water damage.

“We looked for a design firm that understood the period and would know the artisans and products needed for the project.” Kathy and Vince chose David Heide Design Studio, initially based on previous projects that showed creativity and historical knowledge. But they credit David himself for shepherding them through the process. “He is compassionate, professional, and enthusiastic, and he gave us confidence” that the house would be true to period and yet updated for contemporary life.

“As with many homes of this vintage, you came in the back door and fell down the basement stairs,” Heide says. “And the original kitchen was small and cramped.” After discussions about how the family had used the house, a few changes were made to floor plan and circulation. The kitchen is new, designed with a historical sensibility.

1. MEDITERRANEAN DESIGN

Ornamental ironwork is prominent in the old house; formal woodwork is dark mahogany. So these materials, in keeping with the Mediterranean aesthetic, show up in the new kitchen. Adzed fir beams are inspired by originals in the living room.

2. FRONT AND BACK OF HOUSE

Old houses have a hierarchy, with main (public) rooms more formal than back-of-house rooms like the kitchen. Painted cabinets keep the new kitchen somewhat less formal, even as the room is elevated by mahogany and iron cued by front-of-house rooms.

3. ISLAND FURNITURE

“The worktable design of the island makes it transparent in the space,” says project architect Mark Nelson. It is mahogany with a distressed finish to match original millwork. The rope-twist legs are similar to rope pilasters between arched windows in the living room.

4. FAMILY-FRIENDLY SPACE

A family room occupied what had been the old attached garage; sitting at grade level, it was cold and distant from the rest of the house. After the original kitchen and family room were destroyed in the fire, a family room was rebuilt to be open to the kitchen.