by Heather Shoning
Heather Van Luchene, ASID, founder and principal of HVL Interiors, helped a Santa Fe couple realize their kitchen dreams of a bright, airy space befitting the rest of the home. “The home is a charming Territorial style in a historic area,” Van Luchene says. “But the kitchen didn’t connect with the home’s architecture.” Contemporary maple cabinetry was disjointed, while a misplaced peninsula created an abrupt separation between the kitchen and dining areas. The homeowners were specific about a celery green and coral palette, and Van Luchene sought cabinet style inspiration from a classic early 1900s aesthetic. In an atypical move, the designer opted to shrink the kitchen footprint—although admittedly, the space wasn’t highly functional as part of the kitchen—by adding two small wing walls on the long side of the L-shaped room. This created a mudroom as you enter the home from the back courtyard—a perfect spot for taking off shoes plus an organizational niche. “It eliminates the bowling alley effect that the previous kitchen had,” Van Luchene says.
Builder: R.L. Lockwood Construction; Interior Design: HVL Interiors; Backsplash Tile: Arizona Tile; Cabinetry: Chavez Woodworking Inc.; Sink/Fixtures: Santa Fe by Design
