A Seaside Kitchen in Gloucester

The slate flooring was crucial to Sparks’s vision for the kitchen. / Photo by Jane Messinger / Styling by Kaylei McGaw/Anchor Artists

Location: Gloucester
Size: 200 square feet

Located just south of Good Harbor Beach, Cynthia Sousa Sparks’s midcentury Gloucester ranch sits near the water’s edge. Unfortunately, the layout of the home’s original kitchen all but negated the covetable ocean vistas. “It was closed off and dated,” says Divine Design Center’s Jana Neudel. “Cynthia wanted to open up the whole space and showcase the view.”

The ensuing renovation was a team effort: Sparks acted as the project’s general contractor and interior designer, while Neudel and the Divine Design team managed the creation and installation of the new kitchen cabinetry. The owner began by removing the wall separating the kitchen from the living area, installing a wire-brushed beam in its place. New posts help frame the airy space, outfitted with a wall of Doca laminate cabinets and a porcelain-topped island. The team also installed a bronze-glass backsplash, which reflects views of the sparkling Atlantic and helps bounce light around the room. Hardware-free cabinetry keeps the kitchen looking sleek and clean, while the combination of the wood-like and solid-color finishes lends a “beachy feel,” Neudel says. “Cynthia wanted a kitchen with materials that really spoke to the scenery,” she adds.

The storage-friendly island features pull-out drawers and touch-latch cabinets. / Photo by Jane Messenger, Styling by Kaylei McGaw/Anchor Artists

Photo by Jane Messinger

THE FACT FILE

Contractor Cynthia Sousa Sparks
Interior Designer Cynthia Sousa Sparks
Appliances Range, ovens, and hood, all Miele; Bosch dishwasher and Fisher & Paykel refrigerator, both Doyon’s Appliance.
Backsplash Glass, Seaside Glass & Mirror.
Cabinetry Divine Design Center
Countertop Dekton porcelain, Omni Stone Works II.
Flooring Slate, Numerosi Masonry.

See the rest of the Kitchens Guide 2018.