Erica credits her parents for her love of old things — and for her thrifty ingenuity. They were “restorers and keepers of many … beautiful Victorian buildings,” she says. “Memories of late night trash picking … learning to wallpaper a room at the age of 7, and rescuing tin ceilings from abandoned buildings are all things that have made me the salvager I am today.” So, it’s not surprising (to us) when she also declares, “When looking for a home I was praying not to fall in love with one that had a newly marbleized, stainless steel kitchen that I would have had a hard time tearing out.”
In fact, an 1888 house found its way to Erica… and one of her first major projects was replacing a failing and nondescript particle-board kitchen. Taking a vintage jadeite color drainboard sink and cabinet as her cue, she created a happy kitchen that seems right at home in its 123-year-old skin. Read on for her story, resources, a bathroom renovation too, barkcloth dresses and 17 more photos –>
Erica writes:
Well, I finally did it! I purchased an 1888 home in historic Peace Dale, Rhode Island, after a year of looking and a lifetime of being a bit of a nomad.
After of renting and doing work on other people’s buildings, I could finally feel like all of my efforts would be towards something I didn’t have to walk away from.
My parents were restorers and keepers of many of the beautiful Victorian buildings in the heart of Providence, Rhode Island. Ingenuity, the love of old things and hard work are something I was brought up with. Memories of late night trash picking in our old stake bed pickup truck, learning to wallpaper a room at the age of 7, and rescuing tin ceilings from abandoned buildings are all things that have made me the salvager I am today.
When looking for a home I was praying not to fall in love with one that had a newly marbleized, stainless steal kitchen that I would have had a hard time tearing out. As luck would have it the house that turned out to be just the right one had no kitchen to speak of. When I moved it it consisted of a broken stove, a leaking sink and a few of the most horrible partial board cabinets barely attached to the wall. Perfect! It took less than a day to empty the room with no more than a hammer and a good friend.
I had been collecting pieces of this dream kitchen for over 3 years prior to owning the house and I am proud to say everything but the toaster, the blender and the Formica used for the counters has been salvaged or was second hand.
The metal cabinet with the enameled Jadite sink, which is my absolute favorite part of the kitchen, was inspired by love of the one that I washed the dishes of up to 30 guests in a week-end in our summer home on Hog Island in Rhode Island. Needless to say I spent a lot of time at that sink. The joy that I felt, and I’m sure most will think this is odd, at finding a Jadite colored sink for sale by a lovely girl in Maine (only 200 miles away!) was over the top! The jadeite sink came that way! It’s original. Lucky girl I am! I really love my sink!
The appliances started with an old aqua GE that I fell in love with and bought on ebay. It was the real deal and was kept in the home of an older gent who hardly cooked so it was like new.
What a beauty! The wonderful push button controls, lights and bells and whistles all worked.
As it sat in my basement waiting for a home I began to search craigslist for a refrigerator and then there they were…a Northstar stove and refrigerator.
In robin’s egg blue, like new. Wow! Now this was getting exciting. I called and sent the money off (they were an amazingly good deal!) to complete strangers with no guarantee or idea how I was going to get them to me. It all worked out great, and there is now a very happy lady in Florida cooking on the aqua GE.
The solid wood keystone cabinets with their fabulous original hardware came from a kitchen that was being torn out in Pennsylvania, the state in which they were made…and they are dreamy. They work like a charm and fit perfectly into the layout, having to only have one built using a left over door and a custom one made to fit to go over the stove.
The cabinet color, like a lot of the colors I have in my house is something I made up myself and had the awesome and very patient guy at Sherwin Williams make up for me. I believe it’s a darkened version of actual jadite dishware. I actually took the hood of the stove to the store so they could color match it to do some of the trim in the kitchen. I’m really crazy persnickety about color!
The cabinets and boom-a-rang counter top were made and installed by a musician friend of mine with a lovely voice who sang beautifully while he worked making the experience a delight. I am still amazed at the ease in which all of the components fit into the space and how wonderfully workable the kitchen is. I love to cook and I couldn’t be happier cooking in it! 🙂
I put in the black and white bathroom as well …
… from a section of one of the bedrooms.
I noticed the post on barkcloth you put up (my favorite). I’m a seamstress and thought you might enjoy seeing a picture of the dresses I’ve been making. No, the girl in the dress isn’t me. That’s just a little side business I have.
Enjoying the reader stories as always. There are so many of us out there! And it’s always great to see what people are doing!
Thanks, Erica
Thank you for sharing, Erica. Your kitchen is adorable and by my count, at least four shades of green: (1) Jadeite in color, (2) Salvaged and recycled = Better for the environment than manufacturing something anew, (3) Salvaged and recycled = Thrifty — I’ve heard the new “American Dream Home” is one that’s paid for — sounds about right to me, and (3) Well, making us green with envy, of course!
Eartha Kitsch says
So beautiful that I can’t even find the words! My first thought was “It’s like the magical Emerald City in The Wizard of Oz!” Such a wonderful color combination and I love the determination to find just the right items and colors to make things perfect. Absolutely a dream! And I noticed Patsy there. Every kitchen needs a little Patsy.
And the rest of the home is beautiful too! – such a happy place. Now I’m off to look into that beautiful barkcloth dress!
Kathy Florcruz says
I am now green with envy! My one & only chance to really retro a kitchen was done in pink, red & white, taken from Sal & Peppy salt & pepper shakers & a great find of a 1940-50s red/gray & chrome kitchen table. My next kitchen if I ever got the chance again, was going to be in beautiful seafoam greens & such. I have so many red pieces of kitchenalia already displayed, but have been collecting those green planters for years as well. Love your house. Hate when things that gorgeous are torn out & replaced with that boring stone stuff plastered all over modern homes. Yo go girl-your’e an inspiration! (Actually this rental I’m in in Florida USED to have pink tiles, either in the bath or the kitchen. Have only dug up 3 so far, plus a buried stone patio & stepping stones. OH-& I found a rusted Coca Cola thermometer sign too…cleaned it up & it still has some original paint. Dontcha love what we do?
Erica says
Pink, red, white and grey are fabulous kitchen colors!
I wish I had another one to do!
Rebecca says
Can’t even find the word to express my LOVE for that kitchen!! The color of the sink makes my heart go vintagey pitter pat.
Marymg says
This has got to be one of nicest kitchens I have ever seen! I absolutely LOVE it! I am SO jealous!
Ann-Marie Meyers says
Erica, what a beautiful kitchen. Thank you for sharing it with us.
Melissa says
As always Erica, I’m so envious of your abilities. Your parents passed on a great gift. I’m drooling over that stove. I’ve seen pictures of your living areas but somehow I’ve missed the ones of your kitchen. As I was oohing and ahing over the stove and showing Stu he said, “Oh, I know. Her kitchen looks like something out of a book.”
Erica says
And you still need to come over for dinner so we can make a great big mess of it!
75Heather says
Gorgeous! And I absolutely LOVE that sink – it’s uh-MAY-zing!
Allison says
I have the exact same sink base in my kitchen! Same color too!!! I have a white double drainboard sink though. I think it is a Homart, but I’m not sure. Does anyone know?
duki says
My parents also have the same sink base w/ white double drainboard sink! The only thing is years ago my dad painted over the drainboard and base and now the paint is pealing all over the drainboard/sink. I wish there was a way to restore it to its once beautiful being.
I often wondered what brand it was.
Cindy Taylor says
Love your kitchen, it’s beautiful!
Harriet says
Green and aqua are my favorite colors, so I absolutely LOVE LOVE LOVE that kitchen!