A New Neutral-and-Navy Farmhouse Kitchen in Hamilton, Mass.

The island is painted in Benjamin Moore’s “Hale Navy” to break up the room’s mostly white scheme. The stools are from Serena & Lily. / Photo by Jane Beiles

This article is from the fall 2024 issue of Boston Home. Sign up here to receive a subscription.

Located in Hamilton on a 5-acre lot, the atmosphere surrounding this home is pastoral; several neighbors keep horses on their property. So it’s easy to understand why, when it came time to tackle a recent renovation, the homeowners wanted the design to take cues from New England farmhouse architecture.

A young family, the homeowners tapped Ainsley Hayes to update several rooms in the 1980s-era house, including the kitchen. While the room itself was spacious and airy, the dark-wood cabinetry, finishes, and fixtures were dated. “The idea was to update the kitchen to have a more modern feel while evoking a sense of timelessness since it’s a traditional style in this very classic New England setting,” Hayes says.

While the homeowner wears a lot of colorful clothing, she veered toward using neutrals in the kitchen. “She gravitated to whites, beiges, and grays,” says Hayes, noting that white was selected for the cabinetry. However, rather than going for an all-white look, Hayes encouraged her client to have the ample island in the center of the space painted in Benjamin Moore’s “Hale Navy.” “I knew that she would ultimately be comfortable with that decision because she doesn’t shy away from color in clothing. I take my cues from what people wear,” Hayes says.

The patterned tile was procured at the Tile Source in Beverly, while the vintage runner is from New England loom. / Photo by Jane Beiles

Patterned beige tile backsplash behind the range sheathes the entire wall on that side of the room. “It’s another way to break up all the white,” says Hayes, noting that the quartz counters are also white.

Other new elements include wide-plank oak floors stained natural, a nod to farmhouse style architecture, along with the reclaimed ceiling beam. Many of the old cabinets were replaced with large storage drawers, which are more accessible. “You don’t need to crouch down and look in a dark cabinet for your pots and pans,” Hayes says. “It’s a very functional, comfortable kitchen that looks out into the beautiful yard. The homeowners love it.”

Builder BSA Construction
Cabinetry Ray’s Cabinet Shop
Interior Designer Ainsley Design

First published in the print edition of Boston Home’s Fall 2024 issue, with the headline, “Keeping Tradition.”

See the rest of the Kitchens Guide 2024.