The Biltmore Forest Kitchen Renovation

Designed by Hearth and Home Interiors / Photographed by Erin Adams

An expansive 1920s Tudor home in Biltmore Forest, North Carolina receives a top-to-bottom kitchen renovation. With neutral layers, modern touches, and mid-century flair, this kitchen has a little something for every taste and style. Follow along for a glimpse behind the scenes of this transformation and how we brought our clients creative vision to life.

The Vision

Our client dreamed of a kitchen that reflected the era of the home yet also felt fresh and artful. As a stately Tudor home built in the 1920s, we envisioned a moody English atmosphere with pops of modern and light for an interesting juxtaposition. One of our client’s main concerns was having an island large enough to comfortably seat her family and entertain friends, so creating this was a top priority. She also has a love of antiques, so we wanted to design a unique piece that felt like it had been there all along. We imagined an oversized wooden island with a splash of moody color and space to seat the whole family.

Off of the kitchen was a small home office that continued on to the dining room. There was so much potential for this space that wasn’t being utilized, so we pitched some ideas and landed on a cozy beverage nook with extra pantry space. We envisioned floor-to-ceiling cabinets, a bold wallcovering and some open shelving to display collected decor and favorite stemware.

As a whole we wanted the kitchen to feel neutral but far from boring. We proposed a neutral slate of cabinetry and tile, contrasted with bold light fixtures and a richly colored island. With over 400 square feet of space to work with, the kitchen should feel open and airy with thoughtful details to make it still feel warm and welcoming.

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The Process

We ended up creating a substantial 10 foot butcherblock top island with nice parsons legs to help it feel more like a piece of furniture. We went with a rich walnut top to complement the original hardwood floors and a wash of moody De Nimes by Farrow and Ball on the base. The massive custom island comfortably seats six and serves up all the atmospheric English energy we were after.

With the old office nook we designed a handsome, moody corner well equipped for everything from cocktails to coffee as well as some extra pantry space. We carried the smokey blue from the kitchen island into the built-in cabinets and added a contrasting green wallpaper that felt like a modern Morris print. Some Parisian bistro inspired brass shelving added a unique twist to the arched niche and made the perfect spot for displaying vintage decor and cocktail glasses.

We anchored the space with creamy neutral cabinetry, quartzite countertops, and a plaster range hood. These muted moments were balanced with a loud patterned backsplash, antique brass hardware, and bold double Visual Comfort chandeliers by Kate Spade. These light fixtures are one of our favorite features as they exude 1920's glamour and add a real eclectic nature to the space. We were thrilled when our client loved them as much as we did and didn't shy away from their bold statement!

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The Result

This transitional space was completely reimagined to better serve our clients and their artful young family. We really embraced the bones and era of the home as well as our client's personal style. By first lightening up the cabinetry and evening out the congested multi-level island, you instantly feel a brightness and airiness that wasn’t there previously. The eye is naturally drawn upwards towards the matching statement chandeliers, floor-to-ceiling cabinets, and a custom plaster range hood stretching to the ceiling. While still big and functional before, this completely updated kitchen gives a well-deserved nod to its 1920s history while still leaning forward with stylish modern elements. We adore the creative details of this space and are so pleased that our clients have a fresh, welcoming space to host family and friends. We are honored to have this project recognized in a recent Houzz article, How a Kitchen Designer Can Be the Key to a Smooth Remodel. For more photos of the space, head to our portfolio.