Before the renovation, this Maryland kitchen was dark and lacked contrast.

The homeowners of this basic white kitchen knew their space was in need of a makeover.  Their dream was to create an inviting, period style kitchen where they could gather together as a family-they came to the right place!  Crown Point designer Peter Ippedico guided them in the cabinetry design and layout of the transformed kitchen pictured in the “after” shot below.

Frameless Quartersawn Red Oak cabinetry gives the space warmth and timeless character, and the contrasting island provides a pop of color.

Frameless cabinetry in Quartersawn Red Oak warms up the kitchen, creating an inviting space for guests and chefs alike.   The light blue island incorporates a burst of understated color, while also providing ample workspace in the center of the room.  Design details such as true lite muntin doors, beadboard  and decorative moulding provide the period style charm they were looking for.

In their own words, the homeowners let us know just how much they love their new kitchen:

“Thanks for rescuing us from a very close call with mediocre cabinetry.  We knew our kitchen would be beautiful once we saw the sample door, but the finished product exceeded our expectations.  The Crown Point cabinets really look like they belong in our old farmhouse.  We could not have gotten this period look with the other brands we were considering.  It’s nice too that I can store my heavy pots and 50-lb flour bins in the cabinets instead of on the floor or in a closet.”

“You can also add me to the 99% of people who love their trash pull-out.  Thanks for talking me into it.  The dishwasher panel and hutch-like cabinetry between the refrigerator and wall oven also turned out well.  The whole layout is just great.  It definitely makes the best use of our space.  Thanks again!”

-Homeowners, Laurel, MD

This barnboard and black kitchen cabinetry features a unique combination for an amazing one-of-a-kind custom kitchen island!

We’ve handcrafted the authentic, honest-to-goodness barnboard lumber (reclaimed by the good folks at Carlisle Wide Plank floors) into posts and horizontal runners for cabinets that feature our frameless construction! The island itself will contain an oven on one end, and a cooktop in the center area. (Note: The brackets you currently see under the cabinetry won’t be necessary once the cabinets are installed into the client’s home.)

Here’s a look at the opposite side. The left door on the end is fixed, and the right door is hinged to function as a normal door.

Front view.

A closer look at the door and frameless construction.

Our last image brings us in close for a detail view that really shows the beauty of the barnboard!

Our friends at Yankee Barn Homes recently highlighted a Crown Point Kitchen on their blog, Post And Beam Living! In part two of a posting series they’ve dubbed Homes I’m Loving Right Now, the entry features a stunning timber frame New Hampshire home, with an overall shot of the gorgeous kitchen!

We thought now would be a great time to share our own detailed photos of the kitchen.  Here are a couple more shots for your viewing pleasure!

The range area is made even more beautiful with a New England style hand-painted mural.  The mural is by Christina Neuser, owner of the Urban Crayon, and a commissioned artist for clients throughout New England.

This is a handsome Yankee Barn model home, open for tours by appointment.  You can contact Yankee Barn Homes for a tour, or contact us to help design the cabinetry for your own dream home!

A current trend in kitchen design is to mix things up a bit with multiple cabinetry finishes in complementary shades and textures.  This impressive Canadian kitchen is a “triple threat”, incorporating three different finishes for a well balanced, beautifully coordinated space!

The majority of the  cabinetry is finished in a soft Buttercream Classic Paint, blending seamlessly with the Aga stove. For contrast, the substantial island is a bright Barn Red Milk Paint, with hints of Pitch Black peeking through the expertly distressed finish.  A third complementary finish is introduced in the hutch area.  Handcrafted from Cherry, this piece is finished in Autumn Brown stain with a Van Dyke Glaze.

The client absolutely loves her kitchen and was excited to share these photos with us, along with some kind words about her Crown Point experience:

“When we were finally ready to embark on a kitchen renovation in our 1830 log home, we searched locally for someone to build true traditional inset cabinetry.  Finding someone nearby who could do this met with dead ends.  Being Canadian, I had little hope we could access a company in New Hampshire, but on a whim I emailed them.  To my delight I received an immediate response from a designer who not only knew exactly where we lived, but had recent experience designing and installing a kitchen near us.”

“The next step was a trip to see the Crown Point facility.  We were greeted at the door with a sign welcoming us to the shop!  We were so impressed with everything about the facility-its precision, cleanliness, dedication to perfection and commitment to timelines!  From there, we worked with our Crown Point Designer, Lois Horan, through an email process that was in every way satisfactory.  She was ever patient and lead us to our final choices with a clear  but gentle vision.”

“In the end, we have a beautiful kitchen.  It’s everything we ever wanted, perfectly in line with the architecture and period style of the house, and like nothing we could have found anywhere else.  If ever I even consider having to move in the future, my first thought is that  I could never leave my Crown Point Kitchen!  The only saving grace might be the chance to work with them again on another project.  Thank you Crown Point for such a wonderfully pleasant experience, with none of the usual headaches and uncertainties seen in a typical renovation.”

-Homeowner, Merrickville, Ontario, Canada

A great way to raise funds for charity is to organize a kitchen tour, opening up a handful of well-designed kitchens to the public for a small entry fee.  Several times a year, Crown Point kitchens are featured in tours like this around the country.   Most recently, the stunning kitchen above was featured in the 5th Annual Palace Theatre Kitchen Tour.  Proceeds from the tour benefited youth programs at the Historic Palace Theatre in Manchester, NH, and we were happy to be a sponsor!

Voted “Best Kitchen Tour in NH” in 2008 by NH Magazine, the tour just completed it’s 5th year of highlighting some of the finest kitchen designs in the area.  This year’s tour was a success, featuring seven homes and welcoming 350 visitors to check out the innovative kitchen designs.

The happy homeowner of this beautiful Bedford home was thrilled to have her kitchen in the tour.  And, our own Christine Dunleavy, designer of the featured kitchen, was on hand the day of the tour answering any questions and sharing kitchen design advice with attendees.

Kitchen cabinetry is Maple finished in Burnt Umber, with a painted island in Antique White for a nice contrast.  And just look at that view!

Charity kitchen tours are always a lot of fun, and this one was no exception.  It was a wonderful event, for a great cause!

Crown Point Cabinetry has long been known as the premier custom cabinetmaker for period style kitchens.  More recently, we’ve delved into the world of frameless cabinetry for our clients looking for a clean, contemporary look.  But what about those who want a touch of vintage style, and also long for a modern feel?

The answer is Crown Point’s Transitional line; a beautiful blending of both vintage and contemporary elements to create the perfect look for any style home.

Fred Puksta, the Product Designer here at Crown Point, spearheaded the development of this line, even using his own kitchen as the prototype (the resulting masterpiece is pictured above).

“We wanted to introduce a totally customizable line that allowed for the modular substitution of design components to create a kitchen unique to the individual,” said Fred of the new line.  “It would be contemporary frameless construction with the option of adding vintage details such as valances, doors and feet, influenced by Victorian, Cottage, Arts & Crafts, Shaker and Early American styles.”

After months of designing, installing, uninstalling, redesigning and final installation, the Transitional Line was born!  For more details, and to check out our offerings in this line, visit our New Transitional page!

Fred was recently interviewed on this subject for a story on HGTV.com.  His tips and tricks to achieving the look can be found in “Guide to Creating a Transitional Kitchen.”

Because we love before pictures, below is a shot of Fred’s kitchen before it was revamped!  Wow!

If you’re looking to inject some personality into your kitchen, a good place to start is the backsplash. By adding bright, eye-catching tile in this space, you’ll get a pop of color without disrupting the simple, classic beauty of the cabinetry.

We’ve got three examples here that bring our point home. These clients were nice enough to not only provide us with photographs, but they also dished about where they got their tile, the inspiration behind it, and why they love their Crown Point kitchen!  Enjoy!

“I knew I did not want the over-done, cliched ‘country kitchen’ look, so I became determined to achieve something my Crown Point Designer, Christine and I started to call “updated farmhouse,” which would have elements suggesting a rustic kitchen in materials with a modern edge. The backsplash, a Pennsylvania Dutch-inspired “quilt” made of tile, was the perfect culmination of that aesthetic. It was a real thrill to experiment with tile colors, textures, and finishes from Pratt and Larson, using schemes that complemented the “mustard” milk paint of my new Crown Point cabinets. I love the finished result, and credit my Crown Point cabinets for calling out for–demanding, really–something special in a backsplash.”

Homeowner-Belmont, Massachussetts

“The color scheme for this kitchen was determined by a beautiful palette in Trikeenan Tile’s Brickbond line called Random Blue Blend.  From there, the homeowner selected Crown Point Cabinetry in a complementary soft blue finish.  She and I worked directly with our Crown Point Designer, Karen, to come up with a design full of pull-outs and space saving features that were exactly what she was looking for!”

Interior Designer for Home in Bondville, Vermont

“In designing the remodel of our kitchen, we wanted to pay respects to the history of our house, a 1928 colonial with some Spanish colonial accents (such as arched doorways and nooks, and original wrought iron chandelier and banister). Our wonderful Crown Point designer, Lois, worked with us to pull together a great and harmonious kitchen plan. We used frameless cabinets, but achieved a more traditional look with Victorian style trim, moldings and toekicks. To pay homage to the Spanish accents (and our love of Mexican handpainted tile), we decided on a bright backsplash using Mexican Talavera tiles we found through an online tile importer, Tierra y Fuego. We couldn’t be happier with the result-we love our classic combination of white cabinetry with the soapstone countertop and the way they’re set off by the vibrant backsplash!”

Homeowner-Chevy Chase, Maryland

We know, there’s only about a billion places to search when you’re poking about on the web, trying to stuff as much knowledge as possible into your brain when you’re in “research mode” for your custom kitchen project.

Here’s one you should find useful…

A rather comprehensive catalog (one can never have too many!) exists with the Design Center Sourcebook. (The link will take you direct to the cabinet section.)

It lists sources for all sorts of cool stuff for all rooms of the house, including a discussion on styles of homes. Lots of info on the site, and if so desired, a wonderfully printed and bound version can be purchased.

(Disclaimer: Yes, we are an advertiser in the publication!)