Julmar Kitchen

Designed in 1967 by Cincinnati architect Richard Savage, the Julmar house presented many features worth celebrating and preserving: a ship-like vaulted wooden ceiling, large expanses of floor-to-ceiling glass, ceiling-hung cabinetry and custom architectural light fixtures. However, as in many mid-century homes, the kitchen functioned as “back of house” support space rather than as a social component of the home. Additionally, the kitchen suffered from dated finishes, obsolete appliances and inadequate lighting.  

The design ethos of the kitchen renovation, while not strictly preservationist, honors and enhances the existing architecture. By removing the partial-height wall that originally separated the kitchen, the entirety of the space is revealed: the roof vault can now be seen as a complete form, and the two sculptural light features are brought into relationship with each other – each centered over a dining area. White counters function as light-shelves reflecting new lighting in the soffit and in a custom stainless steel light shelf that is suspended in part by the original wooden rods that originally previously supported cabinetry. The new cabinetry and appliances are thoroughly of the 21st century, yet quietly integrate into the mid-20th century home.