Peter Vidani and Jennifer Pierce got married in an intimate ceremony in the sitting room of their old Brooklyn townhouse while the purchase was still being finalized. That was in 2021 and the Clinton Hill Victorian was in fairly good order—its prior residents, a painter and a photographer, had worked with an architect to retain the historic feel of the rooms. But the place was narrow and dark, the previous owners had very different needs, and the all-stainless steel kitchen they had installed felt very clinical.
To add their own imprint, including child-friendliness—Peter and Jennifer now have a toddler—the couple hired Emma Montgomery, an interior designer with her own young NYC firm. The goal of the top-to-bottom update was to be minimally invasive while injecting homeyness and livability. We particularly like the merging of sensibilities in the kitchen, which retains its gleaming setup, now with a helping of family-style warmth.
Photography by Zack DeZon, courtesy of Emma Montgomery Design.
To soften the look, Emma introduced the checked floor, kilim, and under-counter curtains. The Ceiling Lights with White Glass Shades were economically sourced from Smile Lamp Works of Anaheim, CA, via Etsy.
Emma preserved the existing beadboard paneling and painted the whole kitchen Benjamin Moore’s Niveous in an eggshell finish—every room in the house, she notes, was color drenched “to make them feel more expansive and modern while allowing the interior architecture to become an artful backdrop.”
More commercial kitchens with a twist:
- Yes, Chef!: 12 Chef’s Kitchens from the Remodelista Archives
- In Calabasas, Commercial Components Meet Minimalist Chic, Extreme Before and After
- An Artful Ikea Hack Kitchen by Two London Foodies
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