For Ruth: The Sargent House Kitchen

I was reminded (already a month ago) that I haven't posted about the Sargent House kitchen, which was remodeled last winter.  I'll keep this bare-bones, but with as many pictures as I can manage.

These first two, demonstrating The Kitchen As It Was, were taken way back in 2007, when I was looking to Peaceable's old kitchen for inspiration for the Cattus Dommus kitchen.  There was a lovely island with a sink in it and stools alongside; there was the work triangle of Prep (island) - Cook (stove) - and Clean (sink), with dish storage near the dishwasher.  And there was the much-hated Wall (at least by Peaceable) (behind the stove) which did indeed block the view to the family dining area and television "room" beyond.

Niece #1 - and Mater Familias hiding
behind the cupboard.

Niece #1 and then boyfriend J. demonstrating the work triangle.

Now we'll leap forward to this spring, when the remodel was finished (from beginning to end about 6 weeks, after 6-8 weeks of planning -- much faster than the 3 years we took on the Cattus Dommus kitchen).  The first thing to go was the wall behind the stove - the kitchen is now quite open to the dining area. You can sit and chat with the cook, in fact.

Tasha and Harry demonstrating the full expanse of the kitchen counters.
This photo was taken before the plates were fully displayed in the plate rails.

Note, the soapstone countertops and soapstone farmer's sink. I will admit that I was dubious about the choice of soapstone -- I quite love the granite in the Cattus Dommus kitchen, and I love the hard, shininess of it.  But I am won over -- the soapstone is a little gentler, somehow a softer stone (not that it feels soft).  Still, it only comes in Dark (at least, once it's oiled, and I think if it's not oiled, it stains) so one is limited to dark counters. (But maybe that's a "limit" like being "limited" to hard-wood floors. That is, something one might prefer anyway.)

There is still an island, although it's narrower and the prep sink has been moved to the wall behind (Harry is drinking from the tap).  We still find ourselves reaching for the sink in the island -- the sink that no longer is there.  That said, it's nice not to have the splashing on the middle surface, and the new island is about the same width as the workable, non-wet area of the old island.

Harry drinks in front of antique French tiles, bought,
incongruously, from Uruguay on the Internet.

Three halogen spotlights hang over the island for excellent task lighting.  The west wall - which used to hold a pair of Ikea cabinets with glass doors -- very handy, but shallow and not extensive enough -- now has deep shelving with room for Peaceable's china collection.  Well, a large portion of it.

Peaceable in her cozy spot in the family room.

 At the back of the kitchen, beyond the dining area, there used to be a television space created by a carpeted floor and colored walls.  Now, it has been literally framed in to create a little room, with built-in shelving for the television, and a built-in couch opposite.

The largest structural change is hard to illustrate -- the door to the back hall was moved about 4 feet, which created hall space for two coat closets and helped define the dining area more.

Mater Familias and Frater Familias, sitting at the table. You can see the built-in
television and shelving behind Frater's left shoulder, and the back hall behind Mater.

The last major change was the conversion of a broom closet into a pantry -- the matched doors right in the center of the photo below, in the south entrance to the kitchen.  Behind those doors are 6 marvelous custom made drawers that pull out, excellent storage space for dry goods.

A plate rail around the two walls allows all Peaceable's large trays to be displayed. We have gates in two doorways,
to keep cats and Lily separate.