Kitchen Tour: White Cottage Kitchen

An updated 1940s kitchen reveals its retro roots. Vintage-look appliances and cabinetry, along with warm and rustic wood, generate old-fashioned cottage appeal.

Instead of an island, a table made of cerused teak -- the wood is washed with white lead -- serves as the prime gathering spot. The piece combines a period-appropriate patina with picnic-table informality.

The cottage's beachy setting inspired a light, natural color scheme. The soft shades of ivory provide a great canvas for different textures. Cabinets and moldings form a quiet contrast against marble countertops and a subtly patterned wallcovering. The cabinet between the windows sits high atop the modest range hood.

Gleaming metal appliance trim and handles recall an era when autos sported real steel, big tail fins, and copious chrome.

Traditional-style cabinets incorporate recessed panels of beaded board, as well as beaded detailing around the full-inset doors and drawers. Glass-front doors on upper cabinets add to the period feel.

The appliances, the inspiration for the kitchen remodel, are one of the first things guests notice when they enter the room. The reproduction range faithfully copies the lines of a 1950s model while offering features a modern cook expects: sealed gas burners, a self-cleaning oven, an electronic timer, and a warming drawer.

Though retro in style, the kitchen is set up to meet modern cooking and entertaining needs. Moved from the opposite side of the home, the kitchen now opens to a family room. The efficient L shape includes a pantry hidden behind a pocket door -- another 1940s and 1950s feature -- yet close to the refrigerator.

A glassless lantern hangs from the ceiling to provide low-level ambient light in a high spot. Without glass panels, the fixture is easier to clean and appeals to the vintage feel of the kitchen.

The sink, a classic apron-front model paired with old-fangled faucetry, assumes the honored window position. A natural-fiber roller shade controls light coming in. The sink is flanked by two dishwashers -- a modern luxury disguised as 1950s-feel metal-front cabinets.

Like the range, the refrigerator boasts a vintage-shape body and a contemporary chassis. The large-capacity, energy-efficient unit includes adjustable shelves and bins, plus a bottom-mount freezer. A white enamel finish adds to the calm, inviting ambience.