Historic Prairie Kitchen and Mudroom Renovation in San Diego
IS Architecture, a renowned San Diego-based architectural firm, has been awarded the prestigious Kitchen of the Year title by San Diego Home/Garden Lifestyles Magazine. This renovation project was a significant part of restoring a historically significant Prairie School-style home originally built in 1923. Ione R. Stiegler, FAIA, who received the Distinguished Practice Award from the American Institute of Architects for her work in historic preservation, spearheaded the redesign. Together with Project Manager Robert Davidson, they collaborated closely with the homeowners to create a functional yet stylish kitchen while preserving the historical charm and integrity of the house—a true testament to this renovation.
This iconic home resides in the historic Mission Hills neighborhood of San Diego, California. Built by local master builder Martin Melhorn for future San Diego Mayor John F. Forward Jr., the house holds the designation of being a local historic resource. The clients desired to modernize the existing 1980s kitchen, laundry area, and powder room in a manner that harmonized with the home's historical character. Additionally, they aimed to optimize the floor plan to improve flow and visibility between the kitchen, living room, and backyard.
To preserve the historical aesthetics and structure of the house, any changes to windows and doors visible from the street were strictly prohibited. With these constraints in place, the architects faced the challenge of integrating a full bathroom, laundry room, breakfast nook, and kitchen while ensuring seamless access to the living room and backyard. The final design successfully captured the essence of Prairie School architecture while adapting it to contemporary lifestyle needs.
The heart of the kitchen is a substantial island featuring seating, ample storage, and a prep sink, allowing the chef to engage with guests, enjoy TV, or keep an eye on outdoor activities. The island and countertops are adorned with turtle green granite finished in a leathered texture. The main farmhouse sink is equipped with a Waterstone Contemporary Pulldown Faucet, complete with a matching side spray and disposal switch. A Waterstone Parche Filtration Faucet complements the setup. On the island, another Waterstone Pulldown Faucet facilitates food preparation. The cabinetry reflects period-appropriate flush inset doors and drawers. Original hardwood floors from the rest of the house extend into the kitchen. An elegant Rohl apron front sink takes pride of place at the cleanup station. The backsplash showcases a 1â€x1†ceramic mosaic around the sink and 2â€x6†adobe-colored ceramic tiles above the stove. Three Harmon pendants from Restoration Hardware provide focused lighting over the island, while Halo recessed lighting illuminates the entire space.
Adjacent to the kitchen, a mudroom was crafted by converting an external side door that once opened directly into the kitchen. This mudroom now conceals a washer and dryer within custom cabinetry, along with a bench and drop zone for the family’s backpacks. It also separates a newly added downstairs bathroom from the primary living area.
For more details, read the full article in San Diego Home/Garden Magazine (June 2015).
About IS Architecture
IS Architecture is a highly respected, award-winning firm committed to preserving and revitalizing our built environment. The firm specializes in custom residential architecture and the restoration of existing structures, particularly focusing on historic homes. Their expertise spans technical, aesthetic, building code, structural, and agency review aspects of architectural design for historic properties and custom residences.
At IS Architecture, their design philosophy centers on creating buildings that are durable, efficient, visually appealing, and responsive to both client needs and the project’s location. Scale and proportion are vital—both in how the rooms relate to one another and how the house interacts with its surrounding landscape. Their approach emphasizes understanding clients' requirements and crafting exceptional, livable spaces that enhance and make the most of their site or existing structures.
IS ARCHITECTURE
5649 LA JOLLA BLVD.
LA JOLLA, CA 92037
TEL: (858) 456-8555
FAX: (858) 456-8566
http://isarchitecture.com
More Photos…
ShaoXing Change Auto Synchronizer Ring Co.,Ltd , https://www.sxcjautoparts.com