Inset Cabinetry and White Oak
Arcadia Kitchen and Bath created a relaxing, open kitchen for a young couple, complete with inset cabinetry and custom built-ins
written by
Anna Mangum
photography by
François GagnéClosed-off kitchens with partition walls and arches were a staple of the 1980s and 1990s, but today kitchen designers embrace open layouts, natural light, and intentional flow between spaces. When a young couple in their 20s approached Arcadia Kitchen and Bath to address this exact issue, the design team knew just how to transform their space into something brighter and more connected.
During the renovation, partial walls separating the kitchen and dining room were removed. The house has stunning backyard and water views, and the couple wanted to embrace the beauty with more open sightlines. Out went the outdated cabinetry and popcorn ceiling, replaced with custom cabinets and natural wood accents that added warmth and character. The couple was eager to incorporate modern features into their new kitchen, including three integrated pull-out stools and smart storage solutions.
“The client had a Pinterest board and sent a lot of inspiration photos,” says Caitlin Tucker, a kitchen designer at Arcadia. “It’s helpful when we can get a sense of what the client likes. She pulled white oak and soft palettes.” White oak cabinetry was selected for the island, providing a beautiful contrast to the special walnut-stained oak floors. For the perimeter cabinets, they chose soft and timeless White Dove paint. The backsplash features a textured white tile with a printed accent behind the range, creating a focal point without overwhelming the serene atmosphere. Tying everything together is a quartz countertop with a Calacatta Gold appearance, lending elegance and cohesion to the overall design.
The client was drawn to inset cabinetry, a classic look that adds a tailored, refined feel without being overly formal. The cabinet doors are in a timeless Shaker style. “When clients invest in a kitchen renovation,” says Caitlin, “a common question is: ‘Will this feel dated in a few years?’ But Shaker doors have stood the test of time.” Simple details like posts around the island and the White Dove cabinetry color contribute to the kitchen’s timeless appeal.
Functionality was another key focus of the renovation. The island and range hood are perfectly centered in the space, with a cozy breakfast nook to the left overlooking the pond. “The main kitchen work area has a lot of symmetry,” Caitlin explains. “We always aim to create the classic kitchen triangle for optimal balance and flow.” In this case, the sink sits directly across from the range, with the refrigerator completing the triangle. A tucked-away microwave drawer keeps visual clutter to a minimum. Arcadia Kitchen and Bath also recommended more drawers than cabinet doors for easy access, along with built-in spice racks, utensil organizers, and a compost pullout to keep the space clean and efficient.
In 2026, Caitlin expects to see continued interest in natural materials like mixed wood finishes across cabinets, floors, and ceiling beams. She’s also noticed a growing trend in inset cabinetry, an enduring style choice that blends beautifully into both modern and classic kitchens. ▪
English Countryside Charm
Crown Point Cabinetry created a highly functional, custom kitchen in an English Countryside-inspired palette
written by
Anna Mangum
At a whole home renovation, Crown Point Cabinetry collaborated closely with Gail Blackburn Interiors and the clients to update the cabinetry and flow in every space. The clients wanted a British feel for the kitchen with cottagey touches, which inspired the color palette, decor, and materials used.
To maximize the flow of the kitchen, a new layout was created to make everything accessible between the kitchen, pantry, and dining room. Even little details of moving a wastebin next to the sink and the tray bin storage next to the oven enhanced usability. A spice rack that hangs off a cabinet door stores ingredients out of view. Along the pantry and spice rack, there are flatware and utensil dividers, rollouts, tray dividers to keep clutter at bay.
The color palette helps evoke the English countryside with Sherwin-Williams Earl Grey paint as well as reclaimed chestnut in the accents. “The reclaimed wood adds a bit of feel, character, and historical element that ties into the British cottage feel,” says kitchen designer Katherine Norwood of Crown Point Cabinetry. “The cool from the paint and warmth from the wood creates the theme we were hoping to achieve.” This color palette extends beyond the kitchen into the rest of the house. The living area and office features cool blues, grays, and greens. In one of the bathrooms, a blue vanity matches the hue of the pantry.
All of Crown Point’s designers are in house, all with a vast knowledge and skill set to work with a client’s vision. “If a client wants something unusual or custom,” says Katherine, “our designers will make sure to go out of their way to create something.” The designers conduct extensive research into cabinetry making and design and are open to trying just about anything when it comes to fulfilling a client’s wish. One little detail they created for this client was a custom flower design cutout on one of the doors in the kitchen, a small accent that brings a lot of the homeowners’ personality into the space.
The homeowners opted for a cabinet style in the main kitchen called Barnstead offered by Crown Point Cabinetry with tongue and groove elements on the end point panels. On the island, vertical lines on the end panel echo that style. Stepping inside the pantry, this zone features inset appliances, a wine refrigerator, microwave, and cookbook storage to keep things out of the way.
As we have our sights set on 2026, Katherine has been noticing more and more natural and earthy toned materials, like the reclaimed chestnut in this kitchen. “I’ve been seeing a lot of cherry, white oak, and red oak as well,” she says. “I’ve also been seeing a combination of painted cabinetry with the natural wood elements. Incorporating natural materials gives a space such a timeless look.” Bringing in reclaimed wood, like in this kitchen, can harmoniously balance storied elements with modern renovations. ▪
Assembling a Movable Feast
Kitchen Cove Design Studio reconfigured tight quarters in a historic west end home
written by
Michael Colbert
photography by
Erin Little
For Mary Adams, owner of Portland-based Kitchen Cove Design Studio, renovating a kitchen can be “almost like doing puzzles.”
“As a kitchen designer, I can figure out the way it flows. That’s how my mind works. Bringing the decor and beauty together with the function is why kitchens really work for me,” Mary says. “I’ve always loved configuring space. The kitchen is the center of the house, and—I think—the center of the family life in a house. Everything grows off how your kitchen functions and looks.”
When a couple enlisted Kitchen Cove to redo the kitchen in their Victorian, built in 1874, in Portland’s West End, Mary’s head for puzzles was put to the test. Working in Maine, where many of the projects that come her way are renovations of kitchens riddled with doors, windows, and awkward spaces that maybe made sense a century ago, this home still presented some unique challenges.
“They’ve been in the home for quite some time, living with the dysfunction of it,” says Mary. “The floor was ‘ripply.’ The original space included a little galley with a door on it, and then another straight line of a kitchen with some storage outside of that. They didn’t relate to each other. To make a modern kitchen out of that space, there was a real challenge and creativity to it that I enjoyed.”
With their adult children out of the home, the couple wanted to reconfigure the space to suit their social lives: the homeowners frequently host dinner parties and playing card groups. Working closely with Morse & Doak Builders, Mary’s team unified the two rooms, removing the doorway to the galley and reequipping it to be a proper work zone with a 24-inch refrigerator column, 24-inch steam convection oven, and 36-inch dual range. In the outer kitchen space, they installed refrigerator and freezer drawers and enhanced the bar area to create distinct areas for food prep and cocktails. Banquette seating maximized entertaining space, and cabinetry created efficient storage that highlights the room’s 12-foot ceilings.
While reassembling the kitchen’s puzzle pieces, the team recognized that it required aesthetic updates to functionally dialogue with the rest of the historic home. Dark cabinetry brought an elegance that suited the space. They distinguished the two kitchen areas with different countertops, using a polished quartzite in the entertaining area and a leathered dark granite in the galley. Brass lighting and fixtures evoke the home’s Victorian era.
“The space at the end felt really balanced and planned,” Mary says. “It didn’t feel like a forced solution to awkward space. The space is warm and elegant, and it matches the rest of the Victorian style of the house, whereas before it didn’t feel like it fit into the home at all.”
“When you can untangle that puzzle, it’s really exciting. It felt like restoring this beautiful proper ty to what it should be.” ▪
Arches and Hidden Bars
M.R. Brewer worked with the young family that owns ChappyWrap to create better storage solutions, flow, and overall design for their kitchen
written by
Anna Mangum
photography by
Michael D. WilsonArches became the central design theme in a recent first-floor renovation by M.R. Brewer, where the kitchen served as both the aesthetic and functional launching point for a full-home transformation. The home, owned by a young family seeking more openness and connection throughout the main floor, had great bones but felt compartmentalized.
“The homes in this neighborhood were built in the ’80s and had some striking features we wanted to honor,” says Tavia Douglass, interior architectural designer at M.R. Brewer. Tavia led the space planning and kitchen design. Originally brought in for a kitchen consultation, she quickly discovered the homeowners could benefit from a more total transformation. “As they walked me through the space, they began pointing out all the underused areas—like the garage—and floated the idea of rethinking the entire flow of the home, starting with the kitchen.”
Tavia was then able to imagine a new plan that would reallocate the existing space without any additions to the home. A little-used bathroom became a walk-in pantry. Part of the garage was transformed into a mudroom and laundry space. Walls came down to open up the kitchen, a dining area was repositioned, and a surprise speakeasy-style entertainment bar was added. “All the elements were already there in the original footprint,” Tavia explains. “We simply had to rethink how the space could work better for their lifestyle.”
One of the key inspirations came from the home’s original architecture. The neighborhood’s curb appeal is defined by unique features like turrets and archways, all developed by the same builder decades ago. “We didn’t want the kitchen to feel like a total departure from the rest of the home,” says Tavia. “Adding arches back into the interior helped us create a seamless visual and structural transition.”
The kitchen’s layout was planned to include banquette seating, high-end appliances, a prep sink, and even a secondary refrigerator tucked away in the new pantry. Function was just as important as form. A designated “wash zone” allows multiple people to use the kitchen without crossing paths, ideal for a busy young family.
Design-wise, the home reflects the couple’s personal and professional aesthetic. The family owns ChappyWrap, a brand known for cozy, nautically inspired blankets. That clean, coastal style informed the kitchen’s palette of white oak, soft neutrals, and layered textures. “You could do a brand photoshoot in here with their product. It’s a beautiful blend of who they are and how they live,” says Tavia.
Storage was another top priority. The new pantry serves as a hub for “phase of life” appliances like the air fryer and seasonal serve ware that don’t need to live in the main kitchen. Off of the main kitchen, a former coat closet now hides a speakeasy-style bar, one of Tavia’s favorite features. Flanking the range, arched doorways add balance and visual interest, with one leading to the screened porch and barbeque area, the other to the pantry.
M.R. Brewer delivered a calming, richly textured kitchen that feels both timeless and distinctly personal. With an in-house team of 30, including a full custom millwork shop, construction division, and a full-service interior design division the firm is uniquely equipped to bring bespoke visions like this to life. For this family, the result is a backdrop for everyday living and future memories. ▪
In Shipshape
Hewes & Company undertook a precision operation to help a Castine kitchen set sail
written by
Michael Colbert
photography by
Hannah HoggattWhen a family in Castine dreamed of ushering their coastal home into the 21st century, they imagined a kitchen that would pay homage to the region’s nautical history while embracing the comfort and ease of modern living. Partnering with architect McKee Patterson, they found the ideal collaborator in Hewes & Company, the Blue Hill-based firm they commissioned to renovate the space.
“They wanted a high performing, high functioning, really complicated system,” says Peter Belinsky, who served as the project manager for Hewes & Company. “It’s a very high-tech house.” From the home’s dual heat system—which utilizes radiant and warm air with air exchangers and ERVs, plus a smart boiler—to the kitchen’s cutting-edge appliances, no detail was overlooked.
The homeowners’ preference for advanced technology seamlessly blends into the kitchen thanks to the Hewes team’s meticulous attention to detail. A custom-fabricated stainless-steel countertop fits perfectly within the floorplan, while a top-of-the-line Wolf cooktop and double oven stand ready for serious cooking. The commercial-grade hood vent required installing a makeup air unit in the basement—an essential addition given the home’s two open-faced wood burning fireplaces, which could cause negative pressurization in winter. The Hewes team ingeniously incorporated this functionality into the island’s toe kick, keeping the system invisible.
This level of precision extended to every element. “Every part of this project was complicated and had to be thought out to completion before it ever happened,” Peter explains. “We needed to know what the finished height of the countertop was to make sure we set the windows correctly.” By eliminating the window aprons, the countertop feeds directly to the glass—subtle details like these enhance the kitchen’s sense of harmony.
“Hewes and Company is the right choice for this level of intricacy,” Peter notes, “marrying all of the components of a complicated build—electrically, structurally, mechanically, and aesthetically.” The team integrated these commercial grade conveniences through a keen attunement to balance and a clear understanding of the interior’s aesthetic vision.
“The client and architect were trying to be as nautical as possible, but in a classical and really fine, high-end way,” Peter says. A nautical map of Penobscot Bay spreads across the ceiling, while natural materials—stone countertops, mahogany ceiling trim, Douglas fir cabinetry, and teak counters—balance the chrome prep areas and appliances. A ship model adorns the top of the cabinets, a nod to the homeowner’s father, who was a tugboat captain in New York. 
