Mixing Contemporary Design With Traditional Details in a 100-Year-Old Kitchen

By Candice Olson

Nalini is a young urbanite who just bought her first home – a century-old, converted loft in the heart of the city. It’s a super-funky space, and Nalini just loves it, but the cramped kitchen just didn’t fit in with the condo’s high ceilings, wooden beams and exposed ductwork. The layout was awkward, there was little storage space, and then there were the awful pink walls. The kitchen was dreary, uninspiring and just wasn’t conducive to cooking and entertaining – two must-haves for Nalini.

It was so dreadful that Nalini (and her beloved dog, Fozzie) didn’t even want to unpack until the eyesore of a room was taken care of. So, while Nalini and her canine companion moved out for a short while, I moved in with my crew to turn this small kitchen into a more functional space for Nalini and her friends.