What was the brief?
Previously abandoned, and then completely gutted by the previous owner, this 1893 Boston Victorian home was purchased with no walls, no plumbing, no electricity. Having fallen in love with the historic influence and charm of the house, the husband DIY duo spent the past 5 years transforming the home room-by-room. During the renovation process, David & Stephen St. Russell sought to marry the traditional style of the Victorian home with the comforts of modern living.
What were the key challenges?
Having purchased the home completely gutted, down to the studs and cooking most meals from an outdoor grill, the husband-duo tackled the kitchen as part of their first renovation across the home. Having three months to install all the major systems (electrical, plumbing, insulation, plaster), it was a mad dash to complete the kitchen. The kitchen was done very quickly and cheaply, and they quickly settled for a very contemporary kitchen, completely juxtaposing the traditional design of the house. As they continued to live in and renovate the home, the new kitchen felt completely misplaced. While the minimalist Scandinavian design was part of their original vision, it did not ultimately translate into the larger design scheme of the home - thus, they decided to re-renovate the kitchen space. Wanting to create a transitional kitchen space, they sought to marry the traditional style of the Victorian home with the comforts of modern living.
What materials did you choose and why?
When re-shopping for the appliances, it didn't take the Renovation Husbands long before concluding that Fisher & Paykel was the ideal appliance brand to work with across their kitchen. Not only beautiful to use but superior in quality, Fisher & Paykel’s integrated appliance options allowed the husbands to combine industry-leading technology with a more traditional aesthetic without compromising on their overall design vision. From the Integrated French Door Refrigerator to the Integrated Double DishDrawer, panel installation was seamless while the appliances wowed across performance and operation, offering the husband-duo a traditional look with smart, high-tech functionality. Finding compact appliance limitations across the luxury appliance market, David and Stephen opted for a Induction Cooktop and Wall Oven combination rather than a traditional range. Limited by the layout of the kitchen, the husbands could not find a range that accommodated their 30” space. Understanding these layout constraints, the two opted for a cooktop and wall oven combination as it seamlessly allowed the integrated design look to continue across the space.
Team:
Architect: Fisher & Paykel
Other participants: David & Stephen St. Russell
Photography: Stephen St. Russell
Material Used:
1. Kitchen Appliances: Stainless Steel, 36” French Door Refrigerator, Fisher & Paykel
2. Kitchen Appliances: Stainless Steel/Wood Panel, Series 9 Integrated Double Dish Drawer, Fisher & Paykel
3. Kitchen Appliances: Black Glass, 30” Induction Cooktop, Fisher & Paykel
4. Kitchen Appliances: Black Glass and Stainless Steel, 30” Wall Oven, Fisher & Paykel
