Squire Park Victorian Kitchen Remodel
Project Overview
A Seattle homeowner wanted her 1900s Victorian kitchen to feel open and filled with light without losing the historic character she loved. Our team navigated six existing doors, two windows, and asbestos and lead concerns to deliver an eclectic, vintage-inspired kitchen with solid brass and marble finishes.
The Team
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Neil Kelly
Seattle Team
Key Facts
- Scope Level
- Reimagine
- Service
- Kitchen Remodeling
- Size
- 250 sq ft
- Location
- Squire Park, Seattle, WA
The Challenge
This 250-square-foot kitchen sits inside a 120-year old Victorian home in Seattle’s Squire Park neighborhood. The homeowner wanted it to function as both a serious cooking space and a place for guests to gather, but the room’s existing bones made that complicated.
Six doors and two windows lined the kitchen walls. The homeowner didn’t want to eliminate any of them, which severely limited where counters, cabinets, and appliances could go. French doors consumed substantial wall space on one side, and every opening constrained layout options.
The homeowner also wanted to preserve original materials wherever possible — wainscoting, trim, and architectural details that gave the home its Victorian character. Since we couldn’t guarantee those elements would survive the renovation intact, backup options had to be planned for each one.
The home’s age introduced a third layer of complexity. Asbestos and lead were present in the structure, which meant changes to walls, doors, and windows had to be minimized. Every modification required careful planning to avoid triggering abatement issues while still achieving the open, light-filled layout the homeowner envisioned.
The Solution
Our key move was closing the French doors that consumed prime wall space and converting one of the long windows into a new glass door. In the former French door location, we installed a higher, wider window that maintained natural light while freeing up room for a full-length counter below.
Placing the new door in the existing window opening created a depth conflict with the base cabinets. We solved this with symmetrical offset cabinet depths — a detail that looks intentional rather than compromised.
The finished kitchen features custom cabinetry painted Polo Blue by Benjamin Moore, light marble countertops, and solid brass hardware throughout. A paneled refrigerator and freezer match the cabinet fronts. A built-in countertop cabinet hides the coffee maker for a clean counter surface.
A table-style island anchors the center of the room, giving the kitchen a furniture quality that suits the Victorian context. The eclectic mix — marble beside painted wood, brass against blue cabinetry — reads as collected rather than decorated, which is exactly what the homeowner wanted for a house with more than a century of history.
- Closed French doors and replaced with a higher, wider window for full-length counter space
- Converted an existing window into a new glass entry door
- Installed custom cabinetry painted Polo Blue by Benjamin Moore
- Added a paneled refrigerator/freezer to match cabinetry
- Built a countertop cabinet for hidden coffee maker access
- Placed a table-style island at center for gathering and prep
- Used light marble countertops and solid brass hardware throughout
- Installed a handmade, recycled Fireclay Tile backsplash in White Wash
Materials & Features
Every material was selected for longevity, beauty, and fit with the home — here is what was used and why.
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01
Cabinets
Crystal Cabinets — Keyline line, inset construction, painted Polo Blue by Benjamin Moore
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02
Countertops
Meta Marble & Granite — Bianco Carrara marble, polished, with Dupont edge detail
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03
Backsplash
Fireclay Tile — handmade recycled tile, White Wash, 4"x4"
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04
Range
AGA — 48" Elise Dual Fuel Range
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05
Refrigerator and freezer
Dacor — panel-ready built-in columns, finished to match cabinetry
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06
Kitchen faucet
Waterworks — Julia wall-mounted, unlacquered brass with white porcelain handles
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07
Chandelier
Mitzi — gold and black finish
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08
Sconces
Hippo Hardware — brass, above sink
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09
Floating shelves
Décor Cabinets — primed, with polished brass brackets by Signature Hardware
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10
Switches and dimmers
Rejuvenation — button style, black with unlacquered brass plates
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11
Flooring
reclaimed Douglas fir, refinished
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