Kitchen of the Week: Earth Tones and Natural Materials in Pittsburgh

After nearly two decades living in a 1908 shingle and stone house in a charming Pittsburgh suburb, engineer and interior designer Heather Wildman finally renovated her kitchen. It took years for the Wildman Chalmers Design co-founder to save up for the project, then even longer to figure out exactly what she wanted. Only once she accepted that she would need to expand the space to achieve her goals did she actually break ground. “I had at least five designs over the years,” she says. “I was trying to work within the footprint because I didn’t want to do an addition, but I just wasn’t happy. I had to come to the realization that I needed to build an extension to make it the way that I want it to be.”


With the extra square footage—and by combining a few small existing rooms—Heather was able to create her ideal kitchen and dining area with prime views of her leafy Japanese maple. She didn’t design with a specific aesthetic in mind, simply choosing finishes she was drawn to and that would hold up against her family’s wear and tear, like green limestone floors, white oak paneled cabinet fronts, and Vermont Danby marble counters. This method led to an earthy look that blends traditional and contemporary silhouettes—with an original stone wall as the cherry on top. Let’s take a tour.


Photography by Erin Kelly.
Above: One of Heather’s first material choices was the olive-toned limestone floors. “Flooring is such a hard decision,” she says. “I wanted something that would hide dirt and be timeless. It’s got seashells in it and all this movement, so if I haven’t cleaned the floor, you cannot even tell. It’s really hard wearing and it has imperfections, too. My family is so tough, but if this gets cracked, I’m not going to care because it’s got so much character.”
Above: The original stone wall was previously covered in plaster, so Heather exposed and repointed it, a nod to the house’s exterior.
Above: For the cabinetry, Heather went with solid white oak paneled fronts. “It’s got a slight white wash to it to take out some of the orange,” she notes. “The reason I wanted the vertical wood is because of dust. It’s completely functional to me. They’re uneven boards, so I’m embracing variation, but I’m amazed with how the grain matches.”
Above: The countertops and backsplash are made of cool gray Vermont Danby marble. “I tried to be local wherever possible; there are no quarries in Pittsburgh that I’m aware of, but at least it’s kind of close,” Heather says. “Also, the veining has a green to it, so that’s why I fell in love with it, too.” The minimalist cabinet hardware is by Rowen & Wren, and the petite Miele appliances are seamlessly integrated.
Above: A trio of vintage-style Italian pendants descend from the cream-painted paneled ceiling, while cylindrical antique brass spotlights wash the stone wall. Both are by Il Fanale.
Above: The kitchen and dining area look out to Heather’s big Japanese maple. “It was all about that tree,” she says. “That’s part of the reason we couldn’t go out even further [with the extension]. We wanted to preserve the roots.”
Above: A built-in white oak bar connects the kitchen to the light-filled dining zone, which is furnished with a 1930s wood table that Heather received as a wedding present from her aunt. The midcentury rush-seat chairs once belonged to her childhood friend’s family.
Above: Dainty brass surface mount lights illuminate the space when the sun goes down. “It looks more authentic for the history of the home,” says Heather. “There would not have been recessed lights.”
Above: The addition appears like it’s always been there.


For more kitchens with views to the garden, see:



* Kitchen of the Week: Age-Old Natural Materials in a Modern Addition

* A Modern Garden Kitchen in a Historic Row House in Melbourne | bit.ly/3XLoEJb


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