custom furniture, kitchens, and baths by fineartistmade

blog : kitchens

Those Ancient Chinese Poets

April 14, 2012

I thought I'd wrap up the story of our renovation on Shackford with a few poems written by our client, Tom Sexton.

In the course of our Eastport kitchen renovation on Shackford Street, many misplaced relics from the home's first family spilled from the walls; a 1904 calendar, a photo of a dapper young man in a suit and a vaudeville ticket to name a few.

Queen Anne Simplified (part 2)

March 20, 2012

The director of Campobello International Park kindly emailed photos of the Cottage's butler's pantry and kitchen. Elements like brass cupboard latches, bead board doors and soapstone countertops felt just right for our Queen Anne's Victorian kitchen.

Queen Anne Simplified (part 1)

March 7, 2012

Designing a kitchen starts the minute we see the space; wheels are in motion - ideas begin to percolate. Even as the renovation continues to take shape we commit where we have to but keep our options open till that last stroke of paint.

Remnants from the Attic (part 2)

February 18, 2012

We can never resist an invitation to tour an antique basement or attic. Luckily for our project, the original installers of our Queen Anne's tin ceilings a century ago, had taken the leftover scraps and secured them for safekeeping.

Remnants from the Attic (part 1)

February 8, 2012

One of the most stunning surviving features of our Queen Anne's old kitchen was its wonderfully ornate tin ceiling.

Demo

August 21, 2011

Our clients were not quite sure where the original kitchen in their Queen Anne cottage had been. Modern paneling was obscuring the evidence and rumor had it that it had once been located in the fully finished bead board basement.

"Pretty it up"

July 10, 2011

In a town filled with ancient Cape Cods, Federals and Second Empire mansards, this sweet, well kept,1899 Queen Anne cottage really stands out.

And Finally, Cabinets

May 29, 2011

Building new cabinets is one part creative thinking and one part problem solving. There are many practical questions to work through.

Some Light on the Matter

May 20, 2011

Peeling back the layers of our significantly altered kitchen, unearthed just one original feature that had actually survived intact - the 4 inch wide, clear pine, strip floor.

Wall by Wall

May 1, 2011

Replacing modern bow windows in our 1930s addition was critical in terms of transporting the room back in time.

Everything but the Kitchen Sink

April 3, 2011

Since our “cook-space” renovation was in a state of evolution - we made do for a while with the existing stainless steel drop-in sink.

Our Pantry

March 24, 2011

After the kitchen walls were back in place - our next order of business was to finish the pantry. It would be the first fully completed room in the house.

Spring News

March 19, 2011

A fineartistmade kitchen is included in the April issue of Down East magazine.

Florence

March 1, 2011

Before arriving in Maine, my vision of a 1930s country kitchen included a beige and green porcelain vintage gas range (like one I'd seen in an antique shop), with white ceramic toggles and an eye level oven on the side.

The Five Year Plan

February 22, 2011

Depending on conditions, contemplating a restoration can be a tad overwhelming. The journey of a thousand miles may begin with a single step, but the question still remains - where do we start?

A Kitchen Addition

February 11, 2011

By talking with Golding family and neighbors, looking at old photographs and examining the physical remains - we've been able to piece together a snapshot of our home's second kitchen.

The Old Kitchen

January 30, 2011

A granddaughter's recollection provided a first real glimpse of our home's original kitchen. Like many at the turn of the century it consisted of free-standing furniture, rather than built-in cabinetry.

The News

October 21, 2010

This old house of ours has got us busy this fall! We've been taking advantage of all the last of these beautiful sunny fall days to refurbish most of our 26 windows and storms - getting the house ready for winter. So, there has been scant time for blog posts.

History in a Can

August 22, 2010

The Eastport kitchen renovation has come to a close, but the story isn’t over just yet. One more aspect of the home’s restoration begged for attention - its history. The question that most intrigued us now? Who had lived in this venerable old cape?

The Devil's in the Details

August 18, 2010

We never build the same kitchen twice, but the challenge is always the same - to create a space that is both elegant and functional. Serving not only the user's culinary and domestic needs, but reflecting sensitive and thoughtful values that elevate the spirit. Heady goals for a humble kitchen? Why not? We allowed this home to guide us; from trim to cabinets to finishing touches.

Nuts and Bolts

July 28, 2010

There is a warmth and authenticity in custom handmade cabinets you just can’t get from the store-bought variety. With painting done, it was time to start building the cabinets for the Eastport kitchen. We could do the job in our shop, but establishing a workspace onsite has its advantages; one being a more fluid design process, another, the economy of convenience.

Trim

June 19, 2010

Beneath two subsequent kitchen renovations, the original hand-planed baseboard and chair rail had survived. It was difficult to remove them from the positions they had occupied for so many years, but this was not a museum restoration - this was somebody's summer home. The goal was to create a comfortable modern kitchen that preserved the 'spirit' of the old room.

Old and New

June 2, 2010

There is precious history woven into the fabric of an old home. Though we prefer to keep as much original material as possible, total preservation is not always practical or economical. This is often a sad reality while working on antique buildings. Renovation, even at its best, requires a little bit of letting go.

The Old Fireplace

May 26, 2010

Prior to the "deconstruction" phase of our Eastport kitchen renovation we hammered out a plan for the new room with our client. Creating a brand new kitchen in an antique home requires special consideration. It has to function efficiently, respond to the needs and conveniences of contemporary living - yet somehow connect with kitchens past. In this case a past that spanned nearly 200 years.

Getting Started

May 10, 2010

My inaugural blog, coincides with the start of our new project, a kitchen renovation in an early nineteenth century cape in Eastport. Our goal is to bring the room back, in spirit and detailing to its earliest period.

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