The Mashburn's new kitchen includes custom cabinetry by Crystal with auto-close drawers, pullout shelving, and a paneled refrigerator and dishwasher tht give it an old, Colonial feel.
In the late 19th century, the Chattolanee Hotel opened in the Green Spring Valley. Baltimoreans would come by carriage or railroad to stay at the hotel or one of the several sophisticated cottages on the same estate. One of those cottages, built in the Dutch Colonial fashion, is now home to the Mashburn family. When the Mashburns decided to integrate the kitchen entry with a roofing feature that would tie in with the existing home, they called on Jay Brown, AIA, vice president of Baltimore’s Levin/Brown Associates to design one that would honor their home’s history and architectural style.
Since the Mashburns and their guests use the kitchen door as the home’s primary entrance, Brown wanted to enhance it significantly. He did so by creating a “Williamsburg-inspired” bell-shaped roof that distinguishes the doorway as an important part of the home’s design. Williamsburg architecture, because of its colonial components, is closely related to the Dutch colonial vernacular, “so while it may not be a literal translation of the existing architecture, the general character of that historical style is carried through,” says Brown.
But what began with the design of an exterior architectural detail quickly turned into a single-story addition and complete kitchen remodel. Brown was careful to preserve the home’s colonial heritage when planning the roof, addition, and drafting the preliminary layout for the kitchen. “We matched the exterior materials to the materials already there…We added copper to the exterior, which is a material rooted in the past in houses of that type,” he explains. “Our goal when we do renovation projects like this is to try to ensure…that the new architecture is consistent with the architecture that already exists.”
The Rohl double basin ceramic farmer's sink adds to the Old World charm of this kitchen.
The addition, which is adjacent to the new kitchen, includes a mudroom, coat closet, laundry room, and ample storage space. The enhanced doorway, which once opened to the kitchen, now opens to the mudroom area.
At the recommendation of Brown, the Mashburns hired Baltimore’s J Paul Builders to construct the project, and Beth Mashburn contacted childhood friend Donna Godwin, ASID, owner of Godwin Design and Interiors in Purcellville, Virginia, to design the kitchen. “One of the most fascinating parts of being a designer is trying to unearth and build on a lifetime of what makes a person happy in their spaces,” Godwin says. “This means that I have to, in a very short period of time, get to know a lot about a person. Beth and I have been friends since second grade, [and] we’ve had very similar experiences; we finish each other’s sentences! This was such a natural, easy extension of that friendship.”
Just as Brown did with the addition and exterior elements, Godwin’s top priority was capturing the essence of the Dutch Colonial style. “The textures, details, and colors were the driving factors,” Godwin says. “I chose warm woods, organic paint colors, lots of moldings, weathered metals, and honed stone.” The island, cabinetry, and some of the appliances were selected and designed to look like furniture, with such details as beveled edges and decorative legs, while the muted, earthy tones complement the old farmhouse style.
One of the kitchen’s standout pieces is the sage green hutch that Godwin custom designed for the space after a “quick ‘refresher course’ on millwork in Dutch Colonial homes.” Godwin used a seeded Remy glass to give it an Old World feel. “This room is just as much about texture as color,” she asserts, pointing to details such as the glass and the rustic imported Italian granite countertops.
Other prominent features include a tile backsplash hand painted with quaint farmhouse scenes by an American folk artist and a burnt orange loveseat adjacent to the kitchen table. “I would never have picked it out myself,” Beth Mashburn admits, “but Donna just has an eye for what works. The first time I sat in it, I thought, ‘I like this!’ ” Mashburn also credits the success of the project to the craftsmanship of all who were involved. “The builders worked around all kinds of unexpected circumstances, which you’ll often find in older homes,” she says. “Hank Welling, the framer for J Paul Builders, was so talented—he was able to eyeball dimensions from pictures I showed him.”
Not only does every little detail of the kitchen and addition do its part to pay homage to the home’s history and architectural style, it has improved the first floor’s circulation and utility, thereby positively affecting the Mashburns’ daily lives. “There’s a better transition from the outdoor parking court to the home,” Brown explains. “We provided a place to hang their coats, put their briefcases down, plug their cell phones in.” Creating cohesive, intimate areas that serve distinct functions but still flow into one another has greatly improved the room’s functionality, also. “In many cases, homeowners don’t recognize the potential opportunities when we do projects like this,” Brown says. “So its our job to try to expand their horizons and bring them options they didn’t think were possible, or that they had just never thought of before.”
Interior designer Donna Godwin created the plans for a custom, sage green built-in hutch, complete with dentil molding and antique glass panes.
Whether relaxing on the loveseat or preparing meals for guests, Mashburn has noticed a shift in the way she and her entire family use the space. She has more room for laundry and storage, and the kitchen now provides a welcoming atmosphere that it lacked before the remodel. The table expands to accommodate large dinner parties while her teenaged children enjoy sitting at the island. “It’s kind of an interesting social phenomenon,” Mashburn laughs. “It’s like if you offer people the opportunity for a social setting, they’ll take it. I just set snacks out, and people tend to gravitate toward the island. The room is more of a communal place than it was before.”
Annliese Scott is the Assistant Editor for ChesapeakeHome.
Contacts:
Godwin Design & Interiors: 703-727-2721
J Paul Builders, LLC: jpaulbuilders.com or 410-602-8070
Levin/Brown & Associates, Inc.: levinbrown.com or 800-296-9060
