Small Spaces, Big Ideas - Cape Cod Life Online

Mark Lane of Bayside Kitchen & Bath in Falmouth (www.baysidekitchens.com) is familiar with the unique set of challenges that are presented when big ideas need to fit into small spaces. He recently completed a kitchen renovation in the cozy Wilson Ryder House in Cummaquid that delivers a deceptively spacious feel. Homeowners Donna and Mitch Grzywoc had done minor upgrades over the past 14 years since they moved in to the home. They installed wide pine flooring, replaced the countertops and painted the room. The next step on their wish list was to add a concealed washer and dryer in the limited kitchen space. The two turned to Lane to design and fit function and convenience into a tight space without compromising their elegant, if small, kitchen.

“[The space] raised a lot of issues,” says Lane. The circa 1850 home located in the Old Kings Highway Historic District (which is on the National Register of Historic Places) has a series of small rooms and multiple mini-additions commonplace for homes from the era. There were multiple uneven surfaces throughout the space. “Nothing matched up,” says Lane. It was very important to the Grzywocs to preserve the design integrity of their home.

“We wanted to keep the essence of the house,” says Donna. Though Lane could have corrected the irregular surface areas as best as possible, he decided the best approach was to completely reframe the space. Laying that foundation created a wholly level surface which made installing custom-made cabinetry an uncomplicated process.