Dorchester Kitchen

Situated in a sprawling flat in the histoic Hyde Park neighborhood of Chicago, this dated kitchen was reinvented for improved purpose and functionality. Built in 1902, the existing layout of the space involved smaller, meandering rooms flanked with large scale windows. Our scope included the gut renovation of the kitchen and dining room including reconfiguration of the layout, structural reinforcement, new utilities, fabrication of custom millwork, and finish carpentry.

We collaborated on this project with Kuklinski + Rappe Architects. The goal of this project was to create a more functional use of the kitchen while combining the living areas to provide an open concept design to function with the other spaces in the unit.

The existing structure of the building housed six separate condo units. Most of our work impacted the other units due to our need to structurally reinforce the floors and ceiling of the space to accommodate an open-concept plan and our need to “tie-in” to the common utility chases and radiator piping. We were also challenged to provide alternative options for radiator heating in order to accomodate extra storage space for cabinetry. We accomplished this by installing european-style radiators as opposed to re-using the existing upright antiquated units which were large and cumbersome.

The kitchen was designed to accommodate high quality appliances and luxury fixtures. We also incorporated a new dry bar cabinet in the living area which allowed for improved functionality and additional storage. All of the cabinetry was built fully custom by our millworker. The vibrant colors and modern lines combined with the porcelain, elongated backsplash tiles complimented the luxury fixtures and created a transitional aesthetic which seamlessly collaborated with the traditional architecture of the unit.

The final product of this project provided a refreshing upgrade for a historical home. Our client now has a formidable use of space that is both peaceful and inspring.