This Seattle couple turned the devastation of fire damage into an opportunity to create the kitchen of their dreams. Working with architect Sara Emhoff and interior designer Abbas Rachaman of Board & Vellum on the renovation, they expanded their existing porch and created strong connections between indoors and out. The new design includes carefully planned storage, a wallpaper-lined pantry and a large island with room for seating and cookbooks.
The home is a charming Victorian-era cottage with a lovely backyard. However, the existing kitchen lacked a strong connection to the yard. “The indoor-outdoor connection was so important,” Emhoff says. “The couple who live here own a poetry printing press and host a lot of gatherings with friends and family, including poetry readings.”
Before, the pantry, laundry space and powder room were located along the back of the house, blocking the kitchen off from the yard. Emhoff relocated these spaces to open the kitchen to the yard. This was a game changer.
A small side porch (left) inspired a wraparound extension off the back of the house. The porch enhances the Victorian architecture, provides cover for a seating area and creates a transitional space between the kitchen and the yard. Herbs and vegetables grow in containers in the garden.