Galley Kitchen Renovation in a Capitol Hill Row House

This 1,250 sq ft historic rowhome near Stanton Park in Washington, D.C.’s iconic Capitol Hill neighborhood was originally built in 1882.

The homeowners sought to create a bright, functional kitchen that maximized both storage and countertop space without compromising natural light or the home’s historic character. The kitchen is located in the rear two-story addition and had been designed around a series of obstacles, such as poorly thought-out window and door locations and a large masonry chimney flue.

To maximize storage and countertop space while improving the flow and natural light in the kitchen, we eliminated the masonry flue. We minimized the number of doors, creating a galley kitchen with a generous new French door on the back wall. Whimsical Jeffrey Court tiles adorn the floor, and touches of blue repeat throughout the otherwise white kitchen, creating an almost Scandinavian effect that still feels appropriate for the historic property. A Thermador appliance suite brings high-performance cooking capabilities to this compact but hardworking space.