An obsolete kitchen in a 1920s Wardman row house in DC was cut off from the rest of the home and crying for an update. Challenged by the owners to mastermind a solution, designer Meghan Browne devised a clever plan. To create more open space, she removed walls separating the kitchen from the dining room, as well as from a small pantry and hallway leading to the backyard. Existing posts and a dropped beam, needed for support, were clad in reclaimed brick and barn wood, respectively. “Throughout the process, we kept details in mind that you might have seen in and around the home when it was originally built, but with a modern twist,” says Browne. These materials, which conjure an industrial vibe, range from the hot-rolled steel hood to the live-edge walnut and soapstone countertops. Doors on the custom pantry feature an X motif reminiscent of an old carriage house.

Kitchen Design: Meghan Browne, Jennifer Gilmer Kitchen & Bath, Chevy Chase, Maryland. Contractor: Abel Canizalez, LLaveroes Services LLC, Germantown, Maryland. 

Details. . .Cabinetry: decorcabinets.com. Soapstone Countertop: rbratti.com. Wood Counter: glumber.com. Backsplash: mexicanhandcraftedtile.com through architecturalceramics.com. Sink Faucet: kraususa.com. Stools: bestsellingfurnitureonline.com. Refrigerator: liebherr.com. Pendants: sundancecatalog.com. Ovens: kitchenaid.com. Appliance Source: abwappliances.com.