Oriental, NC— From the Latin root anniversarius, meaning specifically year and to turn, an anniversary is a time for celebration as well as reflection upon years past. In creating its 10th Anniversary Idea House, Coastal Living magazine not only had reason to reflect, but to celebrate.

“Deja new” describes the three-story Idea House in Oriental, NC, which celebrates modern and Old World design, incorporating seamlessly blended elements of each. The collaborative project brought together the talents of Creative Kitchen & Bath, as well as architects from Historical Concepts and builders from Watermark Homes.

Each year Coastal Living creates or remodels an idea house, usually one that is located on the coast. The concept behind the idea house is to incorporate technological advancements that may not have been seen before in a living space.

A Non-Kitchen Design

The home’s theme is casual, yet reminiscent of historical 19th century American coastal homes.

“A traditional kitchen was created to complement the overall design style of the house,” explains Melissa Lavallee, co-owner of Merritt, NC-based Creative Kitchen and Bath. From the large island to the large appliances, the kitchen was designed as a place to gather and entertain.

The kitchen has an Old World feeling, but is filled with many modern amenities for practical everyday use. “We didn’t want the room to scream ‘I’m a kitchen.’ When we go into one of our custom homes, we make certain the cabinets look like furniture, the fixtures are very subdued and the dishwashers and refrigerators hide behind cabinets,” explains project manager Joshua Roland of Peachtree City, GA-based

Historical Concepts.

With this in mind, the design objective was to create a comfortable but refined space. The functional objective of the kitchen was to create a lot of open shelving displays while integrating several custom pull-outs. A very clean and simple style with a great deal of customization was developed for the room.

The cabinets from Plain & Fancy Custom Cabinetry, which feature Oxford beaded inset doors, are painted a custom gray green shade to create the coastal feeling that was a part of the design idea. These cabinets line the perimeter of the room from floor to ceiling, creating plenty of storage space. Open shelving was built so cookware could be easily accessible. A shackle knob style in antique pewter for the cabinet hardware pulled together the design.

Treasure Island

While some islands can be considered just a piece of furniture or a place to prepare food within the kitchen, the large size of the island in the Coastal Living kitchen creates a different dynamic for the room.

To create a furniture appearance, Roland used turned, bulky legs on the island – legs which were also utilized on the perimeter cabinets to create style symmetry. The island sits in the middle of the kitchen for easy access during prep work, and a large, single-bowl sink makes it extremely functional. Dual dishwashers from Jenn-Air flank the sink.

When entertaining, the island can also act as a buffet table, providing a casual dining experience.

Knock Out

Incorporated into the 13'x21' kitchen were a Jenn-Air warming drawer and a 48" range. Punched-tin panels on the refrigerator provide an interesting a focal point for the room. The kitchen also features stainless steel fixtures and Franke faucets and pot filler.

Several large windows give the kitchen an open and airy feel. An adjacent breakfast room has three walls of windows that fill the room with natural light.

“It’s basically a glass box with great light flooding in from the breakfast room to the kitchen,” relates Roland.

Decorative hanging light pendants above the large island provide a stylish touch, and recessed cans further illuminate the space. Undercabinet lighting was also utilized to brighten countertop and prep areas.

In the interest of promoting sustainable design, the flooring chosen for the kitchen – as well as the first two floors of the home – was created with recycled, reclaimed heart pine. The walls in the room are primarily vertical wood boards finished at the ceiling with crown molding. This fashions a more relaxed feeling than the other areas of the home.

To facilitate a functional and sophisticated experience, the designers hung shutters on the pass-through to the Great Room that can be left open for serving and closed for entertaining. The easy access to the Great Room also helps pull this design together.

The design team also included a wet bar, mudroom and butler’s pantry in the design. The wet bar, which features its own refrigerator and ice maker, is located away from the kitchen, creating a separate place for cocktails and entertaining. The butler’s pantry includes a microwave and extra countertop that provides additional workspace and storage outside the kitchen.

For more about this project, click here.