When designer Janie Molster and her husband moved into their vintage Richmond farmhouse 20 years ago, they soon built an addition with bedrooms to accommodate their five children. It wasn’t until about seven years ago that Molster decided the kitchen—then located in the home’s center—would be more logical at the back of the house.
Molster conceived a larger, updated kitchen—a welcome change from the previous one last remodeled in the ’80s. “The kitchen is a workhorse space—not just for show,” explains the designer, who opted to forgo a typical center island in favor of an antique dining table. “The table was a fabulous idea,” she enthuses. “It is a magnet for our large family. I sacrificed a bit of storage, but am never alone in the kitchen.”
The space is an expression of Molster’s distinctive oeuvre. “My aesthetic reflects my love of color and mixing genres and styles,” she notes. “I eschew anything predictable.” She combined clean-lined white cabinetry with Carrara marble countertops and an aqua back-painted, tempered-glass backsplash, while horizontally patterned grass cloth in rainbow hues clads the paneled fridge and walls. A meandering decorative motif adorns the floor, designed by Molster and painted by Richmond-based H.J. Holtz & Son. A brass-and-glass light fixture over the table adds a touch of glam.
Kitchen Design & Contracting: Janie Molster, Janie Molster Designs, Richmond, Virginia.
UPPER CABINETRY: Custom through janiemolster.com. LOWER CABINETRY: ikea.com. COUNTERTOPS: bbggranite.com. BACKSPLASH: morethanglass.com. APPLIANCES: subzero-wolf.com, mieleusa.com through janiemolster.com. REFRIGERATOR: subzero-wolf.com through kdwhome.com. WALLPAPER: thibautdesign.com. CHANDELIER: Through janiemolster.com. TABLE & CHAIRS: Antique.