Project Description
While satisfied with the size of the existing kitchen, the family at Chestnut Ridge Farm felt the space was uninspiring and disconnected from the surrounding countryside. We, as architects, envisioned a transparent room where the landscape and light flow in and through.
By freeing the exterior walls of cabinetry, we provided walls of glass on the north and south sides of the kitchen, affording fantastic views of the Blue Ridge Mountains and giving the space the sense of being in the landscape. Rows of chestnut trees, for which the farm is named, seem to weave through the kitchen and, literally, leave their mark in the form of the kitchen island top made from the trees themselves.
To emphasize the transparency of the room, we raised the existing 8′ ceiling and added soaring dormers, creating a glorious sense of spaciousness and light. The operable dormers allow heat out and fresh air and sounds of the country to waft in.
The handmade copper range hood and sink are focal points of the renovation, highlighting the high degree of craftsmanship displayed in the project and contributing to the warmth of the color scheme.
As illustrated by the attached before and after photos, the renovation transformed the kitchen from a dark, utilitarian room, which was strictly functional, into a space that celebrates the beautiful Virginia countryside and is now the center of the household. This is why we feel Chestnut Ridge is deserving of the Watermark Award for Kitchen Renovation.