Designed to be the centre of the home, the kitchen at Enmore Cottage is as stylish as it is functional.
When standing in the kitchen of Enmore Cottage you could be forgiven for thinking the walls might be hiding a traditional bread oven or open fireplace where occupants from years gone by would have laboured with old-fashioned iron pots and other Victorian-era cookware. With its reclaimed cedar beams and flagstone floor that is exactly the look and feel the owners wanted when they asked Mollie Bigley to design their new home. Nestled high on a family property overlooking Harrington Sound in Hamilton Parish, Enmore Cottage is, in fact, brand new, but has been successfully designed to look like it has always been there. At the heart of this home is the award-winning kitchen.
From the traditional bridge faucet at the sink to the unlacquered brass hardware and deVOL ceramic pendant lights, every detail, no matter how small, was carefully considered to bring age, character and a traditional cottage feel into this vibrant room. Nowhere is this more apparent than in the immaculately crafted, custom-made cabinetry by BS&R. Managed by master carpenter Anthony Madeiros, BS&R credits Bigley, who “really hit a home run in terms of making sure that it felt very cottagey.” The owners were very hands-on and enjoyed the fact that everything was crafted in Bermuda: “His cabinetry quality is top notch, and they could watch as it was being built and tweak anything if it needed to be tweaked.”
All modern-looking appliances have been hidden behind traditional style panels, and the joinery which connects the cabinetry to the fridge on one side and the doorway on the other has been softened with subtle arches. Even though the kitchen isn’t particularly large, the cabinetry is generous. “Because it is small, we tried to make sure everything was efficient, so we really made sure that every drawer and cabinet was thought out,” explains Bigley. There is even a cabinet high above the doorway to keep the back cabinetry symmetrical and take advantage of every square inch.
The statement centrepiece of this cosy kitchen is the emerald green Ilve range, chosen in part because green is one of the owners favourite colours. Green has also been gently incorporated into the surrounding cabinetry through their choice of Whispering Grass paint by Fenwick & Tilbrook. “It’s a very subtle green, so it keeps you guessing. We took a long time picking it because we just had to find the right green,” explains Bigley. Contrasting with the green is the oak island and Benjamin Moore’s Swiss Coffee paint on the walls. The simple Arctic White quartz countertop, gelato ivory glossed ceramic subway backsplash tile, Jaipur Brushed Limestone flooring and farmhouse-style sink from Sinkology complete the look.
Designed to be the centre of the home – literally, the kitchen opens out into all the other “living” rooms as well as out to a side yard, necessitating Bigley’s one nod to modern design: wide glass-paned pocket doors to close it off, if needed. “Most homes nowadays are open plan, which is how people live, but sometimes you don’t want to feel like you’re in your kitchen,” she explains. The kitchen also leads directly out to the side yard which offers a refuge for dogs and children to escape to and is also home to the BBQ area, making it ideal for entertaining and day-to-day outdoor access. It could also play host to a kitchen garden in the future.
While the thought and planning that went into creating this traditional, albeit modern and stylish kitchen was meticulous and extensive, the result, laughs Bigley, is that it looks effortless: “Everything looks the way it should be. It also feels like it’s always been there and that was our goal.”
Contractors & Suppliers
General Contractor – F. Lewis Maintenance Ltd.
Project Manager – Keystone Construction Project Management
Electrical Contractor – Niches Electrical
Engineer – Entech Ltd.
Roofing – J.W. Gray & Co. Ltd.
HVAC – Efficiency
Plumbing – SRM Plumbing
Flooring and Tile Supplier – Bermuda Brickyard Limited and Pembroke Tile & Stone
Flooring Installer – Aptech
Millwork – BS&R
Paint Supplier – Rowe Spurling Paint Co.
Windows/Doors – BITCo
Blinds – Bermuda Shutters Ltd.
Storm Shutters – Sew What Shop
Lighting – Visual Comfort Co.
Brickwork Supplier – Horsfield Landscaping & Design
Brickwork Installer – Aptech
Kitchen – BS&R
