An Ugly, Non-Working Chimney in This Kitchen Couldn’t Be Removed—Here’s the Clever Way It Was Disguised
A smart workaround makes the whole space look better.
Jessica Brydson Photography
Normally a chimney or fireplace is a design feature you don’t want to get rid of since it can bring some character into a space. But that wasn’t the case in this San Francisco kitchen located the top floor of three-story, multi-family home built in 1904. Its chimney was large, unused, unsightly, and smack dab in the middle of the room. You would think the easy fix was to just get rid of it, but it was more complicated than that.
Jessica Brydson Photography
“The brick chimney was most likely originally a real chimney which exhausted hoods, water heaters, and furnaces,” explains Morgan Slauson of Front of House Design, who was assisted by Christin Gregersen on this project. “It had ducting running through it for gas water heaters which were no longer in use. We had to keep this chimney because removing it was cost-prohibitive. This was the third floor, and it would have had to be removed on each level and then the floors would have had to be reframed.”
Aside from the chimney problem, the old kitchen had a lot of wear and tear from previous tenants over the course of 120 years.
Jessica Brydson Photography
“The kitchen was a large room with very little usable space,” Morgan says. “It had been poorly remodeled at some point and had barely any counter or storage space. A cramped pantry was in one corner and a laundry room next to it which also had attic access. These areas were accessible by doors from the dining room and hallway. The flooring was bump-top rubber tile like you would see in a gym or garage. It felt very closed-off and chaotic.”
The new family who bought the three-bedroom flat wanted the kitchen to be more open and functional. They also needed another bathroom (there was originally only one), so they were willing to get rid of the separate laundry room and pantry during the renovation.
For the design aesthetic, staying true the Victorian style of the home was important, but Morgan’s clients also wanted to add modern and layered elements. Warm wood, cool tones, and some dramatic details were on the mood board.
Jessica Brydson Photography
The renovation was a complete overhaul: the wall between the dining room and kitchen area was removed, and the aforementioned pantry and laundry room were demoed.
“This opened the area up for the island and back counter. We had to lose a window there, but we gained so much natural light from the dining room bay windows,” Morgan explains.
Jessica Brydson Photography
On the other side of the kitchen, Morgan and team added the ensuite primary bathroom the clients requested. And since the laundry room was removed, they built cabinets for the washer and dryer in the center of the kitchen.
Jessica Brydson Photography
Zellige tile was incorporated into the backsplash and fireplace. While the checkerboard tile was beloved, they swapped in a lighter gray porcelain marble for a softer look. Porcelain tile and engineered stone countertops were chosen for durability.
Additionally, there was the complicated task of moving access to the attic since it would have been very visible in the kitchen. They relocated it to a hallway in the dining room.
Jessica Brydson Photography
The kitchen went from an enclosed, broken-up, unusable space to a highly functional open space, says Morgan, plus the owners got their bonus bathroom.
Seeing the before and after photos, it’s no surprise the clients are thrilled, telling Morgan that they spend more time in the kitchen than the living room now. Music to any designer’s ears, no doubt.
