An Osterville Kitchen Tailored for an Italian Host

Handcast burnished brass shelf brackets with a curlicue design and an aged-brass pot filler, both by deVOL, along with walnut-and-brass sconces with matte porcelain shades by Huey, infuse a vintage sensibility that helps the kitchen feel not so new. / Photo by Sabrina Cole Quinn

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

The only thing worse than living with the dreary kitchen in her Osterville home, Maria Nocito Motamed thought, was living without any kitchen at all. “I’m a big Italian—both my parents were born and raised in Italy—and cook a ton,” says Motamed, a mom to four children ages 11 to 17, and an enthusiastic host. “I felt so isolated when I was in the kitchen, but was also hesitant to tear it up because we use it so much.”

Her best friend and designer, Robin M. Anderson, spruced up the rest of the home, saving the kitchen for last. By then, the pool and outdoor kitchen were installed, and the rose gardens Motamed planted were in bloom—perfect jumping-off points for a beautiful, hardworking kitchen that seamlessly connects to the goings-on of the family.

A classic unlacquered deVOL brass faucet and the chandelier by the Urban Electric Co. offer interest without blocking sightlines. “I love that the faucet is handmade,” Anderson says. “Anything you grab should feel good.” The sculptural teak stools from the Citizenry echo the curve of the walnut cabinet. / Photo by Sabrina Cole Quinn

First, Anderson banished the peninsula that choked off the kitchen from the family room, where French doors open to the patio and pool. In its place is a large, welcoming island. In terms of aesthetics, Anderson played off the home’s English country feel with a gray-and-white marble tile floor in a classic checkerboard pattern. A trip to Metropolitan Cabinets & Countertops convinced Motamed that her friend’s instinct for soft-blue cabinetry—the hue hints at coastal and refers to pops of blue elsewhere in the home—was spot-on. Adding the custom walnut coffee bar with arched glass fronts sealed the deal.

Locating the sink in the island lets Motamed chat with guests lounging in the family room and keep an eye on the kids frolicking outdoors. “I don’t feel alone anymore!” she says. The layout also made way for an enormous eight-burner range and unlacquered-brass pot filler. The setup is in the corner, but no matter; Motamed finds joy in the Clé tile that runs to the ceiling, covers the hood, and travels around the entire room. “When the light hits the backsplash, there’s an opalescent glow that feels blissful,” she says.

Builder Narvaez Handyman Service
Interior Designer Robin M. Anderson
Kitchen Designer Metropolitan Cabinets

First published in the print edition of Boston Home‘s Fall 2024 issue, with the headline, “In the Mix.”

See the rest of the Kitchens Guide 2024.