KITCHENS & BATHS

A suite of matte-black appliances and the use of hickory wood make for an unusual retro kitchen.

Bold choices work well in this Victorian Revival upgrade.

When a Denver family decided to renovate the kitchen of their historic house in the National Register-listed Baker neighborhood, they hoped to preserve the ca. 1890 house’s charm without compromising function. They did it by incorporating a warm color palette centered on custom knotty hickory cabinets, with a creamy tile backsplash and veined black soapstone countertops, a tomato-color accent wall and brass details throughout. The design is a collaboration among designer Shaun MinnŽ, owners Kimberly MacArthur Graham and Ralph Graham, and the appliance company Big Chill. The new work enhances the gracious design and rustic roots of a house designed by noted Denver architect William Lang (1846–1897).

The rest of the house retains many original elements, but the previous kitchen, small and cramped, was an ugly 1980s rendition all in beige; “the fridge sat in front of walled-up exterior door, and the oven was in another room,” Kimberly says. The original doublehung windows and fir flooring were restored.

“The key to blending modern and traditional is to use the same color, textures, and shapes among styles,” says Orion Creamer, founder and of Big Chill, ceo which is headquartered in Boulder. “Here, the black accents create an eclectic yet harmonious look.”

1. HANDSOME APPLIANCES

Industrial-inspired ‘Classic’ series appliances from Big Chill are integral to the design. The matte black finish and brass trim are sophisticated, and somehow both modern and retroVictorian (in six standard and 200 custom color options).

2. PERIOD-COMPATIBLE

In keeping with the lateVictorian Queen Anne house in a Denver historic district, wood cabinets, subway tile, and stone have a period sensibility. Flooring is the original fir, restored. Window casings and a wall in red tie the kitchen to other rooms.

3. NEUTRAL, WITH WARMTH

Black and white underlie the scheme. Soapstone counters, an iron floor grille, and the range, hood, and icebox-fridge in black are classic neutrals that lend a turn-of-the-century vibe. Natural wood and brass provide a warm counterpoint.

4. HICKORY CABINETS

Amish Cabinets of Denver used hickory, a wood with beautiful grain and color (incidentally, less expensive than quartersawn oak). Furniture-like details include the asymmetrical arrangement, inset drawers, paneled ends, and “feet” forming the toe kick.