After living in condominiums in Detroit for several years, Amy and Donald Rencher decided to act on something they had known for a while: They needed more space to raise a family. They found a 4,000-square- foot home built in 1910 in the cityβs New Center neighborhood that met that need; the kitchen, however, was another story.
βIt was tight and had an awkward layout with a sink on one wall, a stove on another, and very little storage,β Amy Rencher recalls. βThere was a lot of wasted space.β
With busy lives β Amy is senior vice president of small business services for the , and Donald is group executive of housing, planning, and development for the city of Detroit β the couple needed a welcoming, practical space at the dayβs end.
To help create their oasis, the Renchers called on Anahi Hollis of Detroit-based . The team decided to remove a butlerβs pantry and rear stairwell to increase space.
βA lot of Detroitβs historic homes have small kitchens,β Hollis says. βWhen working on historic properties, there are opportunities to enhance what already exists. I feel a sense of responsibility to be mindful of how renovations are handled.β
The renovations were executed so seamlessly, in fact, that Amy says one would think the current kitchen was originally built this way.
βWe love that we can now walk in, plop down, unwind from the day, and enjoy each otherβs company,β Amy says.
Here, Amy and Hollis share a few of the kitchenβs special elements.
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Under foot
The flooring needed to be replaced, so a 1.5-inch plank style in red oak was brought in to match existing flooring throughout the house.
Adore the door
A rear door needed replacing, so theΜύteam found a salvaged door at Woodward Throwbacks.
βItβs from an old school onΜύDetroitβs east side,β Amy says.
For the countertops, the team chose slabs of Michelangelo quartzite from .
It has βrich veins of gold, rust, and black,β Hollis says.
Fixated on fixtures
Hollis selected large and small pendants by Thomas OβBrien from Visual Comfort in bronze and hand-rubbed antique brass, βwhich brings a rich glow and consistency with period detail,β Hollis says.
Island time
βWe mapped out several iterations forΜύthe island, as we needed to be able toΜύcomfortably walk around it,β Amy says.
The island can seat two, and the couple alsoΜύmade sure to have enough room at the endΜύfor their 1-year-old son P.J.βs high chair.
Black is back
Black stainless finishes are present throughout the space, including on the appliances and faucets.
Tile file
A warm gray subway-style tile backsplash from Virginia Tile has βa crackle to it, and it looks like itβs been there always,β Amy says.
This story is from the October 2022 issue of ΒιΆΉ·¬ΊΕ Detroit magazine.ΜύRead more inΜύour digital edition. And click hereΜύto see more metro Detroit interiors.Μύ
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