Kitchen of the Week: Adding a Generous Pinch of Warmth to a Family’s Commercial Kitchen

Peter Vidani and Jennifer Pierce got married in an intimate ceremony in the sitting room of their old Brooklyn townhouse while the purchase was still being finalized. That was in 2021 and the Clinton Hill Victorian was in fairly good order—its prior residents were two painters with good taste who had worked with an architect to retain the historic feel of the rooms. But the place was narrow and dark, the artists had very different needs, and the all-stainless steel kitchen they had installed felt very clinical.


To add their own imprint, including child-friendliness—Peter and Jennifer now have a toddler—the couple hired Emma Montgomery, an interior designer with her own young NYC firm. The goal of the top-to-bottom update was to be minimally invasive while injecting homeyness and livability. We particularly like the merging of sensibilities in the kitchen, which retains its gleaming setup, now with a helping of family-style warmth.


Photography by Zack DeZon, courtesy of Emma Montgomery Design.
Above: The existing stainless steel cabinetry had been installed 15 or so years ago and was one of the house’s selling points for Jenny and Peter—it was made to order by a restaurant supply store on the Bowery. The kitchen is located on the garden level, which Emma was told the prior owners used as their art studio (the adjoining space is now the family room).


To soften the look, Emma introduced the checked floor, kilim, and under-counter curtains. The Ceiling Lights with White Glass Shades were economically sourced from Smile Lamp Works of Anaheim, CA, via Etsy.
Above: At first glimpse, the sink curtains look like velvet—they’re actually a heavy Italian cotton-linen called Madison by Angela Brown from Designs of the Time, hung on an Inside-Mount Cafe Rod Set from Rejuvenation.
Above: The commercial-grade appliances (including fridge drawers), backsplash, and shelving were all in place and preserved. For readymade stainless storage options, see 10 Easy Pieces: Sleek Wall-Mounted Metal Shelves.
Above: Jenny is an attorney and Peter, a Tumblr co-founder, is currently a designer at OpenAI. They moved out of their house for two months while Emma and crew swept in; their son was born in 2023 at the tail end of the renovation.
Above: A trough sink formerly filled the niche—”very useful for artists, but we had to figure out how to make this kitchen livable for a young family,” says Emma. She turned it into the dining nook by pairing a midcentury round table, Marcel Breuer Cesca Chairs, and a bench from Burke Decor. Just out of the frame, there’s a built-in full-size fridge.


Emma preserved the existing beadboard paneling and painted the whole kitchen Benjamin Moore’s Niveous in an eggshell finish—every room in the house, she notes, was color drenched “to make them feel more expansive and modern while allowing the interior architecture to become an artful backdrop.”
Above: The hanging light is In Common With’s Alien Orb Pendant—read about the Brooklyn lighting company here.
Above: An old-looking new door opens to the backyard. The caned oak cabinet is the 2 Door Solna from Hedge House.
Above: The checks are Harvey Maria vinyl tiles in Stove Black and Linen White. The vintage kilim runner is from the Sapere Collection.
Above: The old pantry is situated just outside the kitchen.
Above: It’s traditional, if somewhat unusual these days, for Brooklyn townhouse kitchens to be on the garden level. The stair leads to the parlor floor.


More commercial kitchens with a twist:



* Yes, Chef!: 12 Chef’s Kitchens from the Remodelista Archives 

* In Calabasas, Commercial Components Meet Minimalist Chic, Extreme Before and After

* An Artful Ikea Hack Kitchen by Two London Foodies | bit.ly/3XLoEJb


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