Great Room and Kitchen

Natural materials carefully chosen for their beauty and simplicity repeat throughout the house. Warm wood tones, blackened-iron and fossil-embedded stone tiles lay the foundation in the great room. The well-proportioned spaces feel cozy in spite of the lofty ceilings and two-story framed dormers. To evoke a sense of age as well as protect the walls, architect Stuart Cohen designed 9-inch-deep baseboards, a detail found in homes built centuries earlier. Aligned with the tops of the 8-foot solid-maple doors, a 3 1/2-inch chair rail wraps the great room, kitchen and bedrooms.

From their company's extensive portfolio, Ethan Allen Chicago interior designers Sherie Thomas and Sherry Grapes combined traditional furnishings with more contemporary selections to give the home a collected-over-time look. The mixture of styles softens the clean architectural lines, creating casual comfort in the spacious living area. By narrowing the color palette and varying the textures used, the design's overall Shaker sparseness finds harmony beside cushiony upholstered pieces, graphic accent tables, and accessories both rustic and refined.

Clean-lined maple cabinetrysurrounds the 12-by-19-foot kitchen, which is spacious enough to invite multiple cooks to share in the prep work. Borrowing a lesson from Shaker artisans, who left their furniture handles dark or unpainted to hide dirt and wear marks, we chose dark-cherry-stained maple door and drawer pulls. The deep color and round shape lend just enough graphic appeal to be interesting, but not too flashy.

Glass doors front the upper cabinets, creating a lighter look while supplying dust-free space for collectibles. Stainless steel appliances contrast with the surface without looking out of place. A stove hood from Jenn-Air, with warming lights, tops the 48-inch double-oven range.

Made from a quartz-and-resin composite, the granite look-alike DuPont Zodiaq solid-surface countertops require no sealing and offer easy-clean durability in the spacious work area. The distinct color contrast between the fine-grained Cloud White on the perimeter and the intense Galaxy Black on the island helps define the spaces.

The island and nearby breakfast table allow places to sit and chat with the cook during dinner parties or informal suppers. French doors open onto the cantilevered balcony for dining alfresco. An added Shaker touch: Raised chair rails, with pegs originally used to store chairs, display a broom collection and tab-top curtains.

The Shakers found beautyin the absence of embellishment, designing for function rather than frills. The clean look evokes a serenity—something we tried to capture in our Idea Home by the use of light and shadow, as well as warm wood tones.

The boxy cabinetry and trim, plus the white rectangular backsplash tile in the kitchen and clean-up areas, establish a cohesive design.

We chose maple cabinetry, doors and trim throughout the house for the wood's fine grain and ability to stain well. Its light amber tone casts a glow and contrasts with the honey-stained red oak floors. Caring for Hardwood Simplicity can also apply to upkeep. For example, durable hardwoods offer easy maintenance. Limit exposure to water, dust regularly with a soft cloth and avoid abrasive cleansers.

For cabinet doors with windows such as those in the kitchen and butler's pantry, spray glass cleaner onto a lint-free cloth or towel rather than directly onto the glass and nearby wood surfaces. Then, wipe the windows clean.

Related Links: