Photo by: Lincoln Barbour
Kitchen character When Vicki Simon first saw the tiny laminate-clad kitchen of her future home, it inspired grander visions. "I once toured a mansion in Newport, Rhode Island, and was so taken with its Victorian-style kitchen that I memorized every detail: the stand-alone furniture, the big pot rack," recalls the interior designer. "It was beautiful but as functional as a commercial kitchen." Simon kept coming back to that image as she remodeled her 1908 house's kitchen, a process that involved restoring the original floors (despite contractors who said it couldn't be done), trolling Craigslist, and scouring salvage yards up and down the West Coast, a 10-month labor of love that led her to declare, "If I ever move, this kitchen is coming with me."A resourceful Portland designer reawakened her Victorian kitchen by combining the best of old and new. Try your hand at juxtaposing vintage design and modern utility using her kitchen as your guide. More from Sunset: Kitchens: Before and After 60 Kitchen Design Ideas Decorate With Family Finds
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