Fairhill Kitchen and Mudroom

This kitchen in Glenside, Pennsylvania is an instant classic. A herringbone mosaic backsplash in Carrara marble pairs with an excellent cabinet color: it can read blue, grey, or sometimes even a little bit green. We all want our kitchens to feel warm and welcoming so it may be counterintuitive to use a cool color on such a major visual element of the kitchen. The secret to our success here? Pairing it with rich walnut countertops and exposed brick in the kitchen. It also works well when paired with the dark oak cupboards, which were an original feature in the butler’s pantry. In that pantry space, open shelves store large casserole dishes, cookbooks, and drink bottles in a spot that used to be a cavity for a dumbwaiter but now serves as useful storage. We also made room for a little reclaimed desk, and the chair’s seat cushion sweetly coordinates with the kitchen window treatment. Perhaps our favorite element of this kitchen interior is the elegant design of the glass-front cabinet to the left of the sink, which displays sparkly silver goblets. Slightly oversized polished nickel cup pulls and a nickel ceiling light pick on the silver on display and provide just that little bit of extra sparkle. Blue and white Chinese pottery adds a classic pop of a more saturated blue and a roman shade softens the window without cutting out too much light.