Efficiency and charm were the guiding principles in the design of this award-winning kitchen. The owners, Dr. Rob and Sylvia Cohn, wanted a space in which they could enjoy meals with their young children and also entertain informally. Their efforts became reality through the efforts of Peter Cardomone, owner and designer of Blue Bell Kitchens.

The kitchen occupies an addition made in the 1930’s to a 1740 house. To integrate the kitchen with the rest of the house, designer Cardomone broke through a wall and opened the kitchen to an adjoining family room.

A work island dominates the center of the kitchen and doubles as an eating area. The hand-chamfered oak post beam is the work of Paul Levesque, a self-taught woodworker who uses Colonial-era methods. He researches each house he works on to ensure authenticity. Casafina’s Portuguese tiles form a backsplash. Mexican terra-cotta tiles cover both the floor and the cabinet counters. The cabinets, by Adelphi, have fully inset doors and wear Old Sturbridge Wild Bayberry Enamel.

Designer Peter Cardomone worked closely with the homeowners to create a kitchen that is as functional as it is traditional.