Engaging Connections

This kitchen, part of a 5,300-square-foot Greek Revival custom home built by Albert Cummings in Williamstown, Mass., invites family and friends to mix it up. With a family-friendly design and upscale finishes, the space is comfortable enough for the homeowners' small children to use for doing homework, practical enough for two cooks to work simultaneously and beautiful enough for entertaining.

"While the overall design theme of the home is on the formal side, this part of the house is extremely warm and inviting," says designer Christina Cummings, the builder's wife, who worked with the homeowners to personalize the residence's interior details.

The kitchen's traditional L-shaped configuration establishes separate zones for cooking and dining without limiting interaction between the two. A sunny bay contains the breakfast nook and serves up a view of Mount Greylock, a beloved local landmark. A large, two-tier island includes the stove and countertop work space, plus seating for snacking or conversation with the chef.

A walk-through butler's pantry next to the kitchen connects all of the main-floor living spaces. "It's much more than just a link between the kitchen and formal dining room," Christina Cummings says. The pantry also can be used as a wet bar for entertaining. "The homeowners wanted to avoid a pantryish look for the space, so we really went all out to make it special."

The designer selected the same cabinetry and countertop materials for the butler's pantry and the main kitchen. The pantry also includes a mini-refrigerator, sink and dishwasher. A barrel tray ceiling adds visual punch and volume.

An unexpectedly special spot in this home is the mud room, a space that's often the unsung hero of a busy family residence because it gets maximum use but rarely the design attention it deserves. Not so in this case. The mud room links an outdoor breezeway to the interior living spaces and features a beadboard finish on the ceiling and walls.

"This mud room is really wonderful," Christina Cummings says. "It's a full-size room rather than just a compressed space." It includes built-in storage lockers, a sink, generous counter space and plenty of character. "I look for elements that give an older home its charm and incorporate these into our construction projects. We don't want a new home to feel as though it were brand-new.

"What was really fun about this project was that my clients allowed me the freedom to use a lot of colors to give the house a tangible feeling of warmth. I was able to give each space its own character but still remain true to the traditional design of the home."

Style of Home | Greek Revival
Location | Williamstown, Mass.
Total square footage | 5,300
Hard costs | $225 per square foot, excluding land
Builder/interior designer | Albert J. Cummings IV, General Contractor Inc., Williamstown
Architect | Burr and McCallum Architects, Williamstown
Custom luxury residence

Major Products Used
Main Kitchen | Appliances: Sub-Zero (refrigerator), Dacor (oven, cooktop), Fisher & Paykel (dishwasher) | Cabinetry: Wood-Mode | Countertops: granite | Door hardware: Rocky Mountain Hardware | Flooring: Carlisle Wide Plank Floors | HVAC: Carrier | Lighting: Brass Light Gallery, Radiant Classics (Country Traditions) | Plumbing fixtures: Rohl, Whitehaus (fireclay sink) | Windows: Pella
Butler's Pantry | Appliances: Sub-Zero (refrigerator), Miele (dishwasher) | Cabinetry: Wood-Mode | Countertops: granite | Flooring: Carlisle Wide Plank Floors | Recessed lighting: Lightolier | Plumbing fixtures: Rohl, Le Bijou
Mud Room | Cabinetry: custom by builder | Countertops: DuPont (Corian) | Flooring: slate | Radiant floor heating: Stadler-Viega | Plumbing fixtures: Delta, Franke