What do you get when you combine 19th century English china, colors from ancient Asian art, and 21st century conveniences in a rustic Vermont farmhouse? In the case of this kitchen renovation, the result is a room as beautiful as a piece of priceless Chinese lacquer, yet completely functional for a busy, contemporary family.

The owner of this old farmhouse has a passion for Staffordshire Transferware and a keen eye for color. Her collection of the antique blue and white china was the inspiration for custom hand-painted ceramic tiles and the starting point for this project. The primary challenge was engineering the wall, window, sink, cabinetry, and appliance placement so that none of the irregularly sized and shaped tiles had to be cut. Secondary challenges included retaining country charm while incorporating modern conveniences, creating ample display space for the Transferware collection, and balancing the cool hues in the tiles so the room would feel warm.

The entire kitchen was built around the tiles, which had been commissioned prior to the renovation project. Each tile is a work of art and had to be used whole. Several period scenes painted on the tiles were designed to fit around two large porcelain sinks. Therefore, like putting together the pieces of a jigsaw puzzle, every finished component had to be designed and laid out before construction could begin. Meticulous coordination and constant communication between the builder, designer, and cabinetry maker ensured that every piece fit together perfectly at installation time.

To create this spacious new kitchen and an adjacent dining room, five original rooms were gutted and opened. A wall of double-sided glass door cabinetry was built to divide the kitchen and dining areas. Designed to display the Transferware in both rooms and to allow sunlight to pass through them, the cabinets feature dual-access drawers, doors, and pull-out shelves. Careful attention was made to aesthetic details, including antique restoration glass cabinet doors and starfire glass shelves. French doors between the rooms operate on hidden hinges that allow them to fold into recessed pockets, which when open appear to be part of the glass cabinetry.

The owner chose a deep red – custom matched from her favorite shade of lipstick - for the cabinets, which were brush painted to look old. The striking red and blue combination is reminiscent of ancient Chinese lacquer. Carefully chosen rustic details keep the strong colors from overpowering and create warmth. A sweeping curved hickory counter with breadboard edges on the island was custom made to match the antique hickory floors and resemble an old farmhouse table. The ceiling, made of barn board slats and painted with a simple white wash finish, shows variations of wood, nails, and knots. The walls were rough plastered to look like the original horsehair-plastered walls and painted in a matt finish of soft earthy colors.