I really like the after kitchen, but am sad that the original sink wasn't incorporated!

I would love to see a whole house tour!!

I like the kitchen but the bathroom is my favorite. Having spent some time in Korea where they have similar bathrooms I LOVED how easy this style is to clean. Just grab the shower hose and spray it all down, scrub, spray again and done!

Good job.

*bounce* I am glad you kept the fantastic stained glass window in the bathroom! I would maybe kill someone for some of those in my house....

The new kitchen is up-to-date and pretty text book. I agree that if there was room to add custom design that it would have been nice to stay true to the victorian nature of the home. I agree, the sink was pretty neat and would have been nice to mix the old with the new. Bummer.

I agree, can I buy the old farmhouse kitchen sink from you?

You lived with that kitchen for NINE years? You have the patience of saints. I can't believe you used that kitchen for so long. I would have gone insane within the first week, and all of it would have been ripped out. Congratulations on having a beautiful kitchen and bathroom. I'm impressed you could wait that long.

I love the shower room, and that you designed the bathroom around the pretty stained glass window instead of fighting it (like whoever put up the leaf wallpaper did) or getting rid of it altogether.

Oh, I feel for this woman! I lived with a kitchen that bad (a 1930s house, though) for 8 years. It was difficult, frustrating, often embarrassing. We had no dishwasher, and far less space. The new kitchen above is lovely.

I have never seen a window behind a range.

Tracyashley, I like that original sink, too, but it's possible it was chipped or stained and they felt it was not worth fixing. Or perhaps it just had really bad associations for the homeowner. You can start to resent things in a kitchen like that.

Love the set up of the new bathroom and the fact that you kept the stained glass window, but I'm also curious about the old kitchen sink. Was it in bad shape, or were you just not a fan?

That shower and tub idea is great! Wish I had room for something like that.

savethepinkbathrooms!

Just to get it out of the way! :p

Both afters look great, I'm sure they'll serve you well. I like the shower next to the bathtub. And I like the blue in the bathroom, although I think the stained glass looks just a bit odd with it.

Put me in line for the older kitchen sink too.
I find the shower inclosed w/the bath odd. Why not just add the shower to the tub and give yourself more space maybe for a vanity station? I too had a grey and pink bath when I was renting and hated it but I do love the art deco feel with this bath because it had the same color sink and toliet. Might have been fun to play with it but I understand this is individual perferrence.
With that said, your upgrades are beautifully done. Oh, agree that keeping the stain glass was a plus.

I'm going to have nightmares thanks to the before shot of the kitchen. Looks like it needed an exorcism as well as a reno. Beautiful job!

Another kuddos from me for leaving that lovely stain glass window in the bathroom. I honestly wouldn't have had the vision to think it would look good in a more modern bathroom, but it does.

OMG. If the "before" kitchen was my kitchen I would have been eating a LOT of take-out. I don't think I'd be able to cook in that if for no other reason than I would have felt like it was never clean, no matter how much bleach I threw at it...It's amazing to me that you delt with it for 9 years!

I usually am a huge fan of "original" fixtures and old stuff, but I think you made a good choice in getting rid of the old farmhouse sink in this instance. My first instinct was, "Oh I would have kept that." But the more I look at your pictures, the more I think you made the right choice in NOT keeping it. It's really, really big, and would have eaten up a LOT of counter space. Plus, it would have felt very "country" and based on how the rest of the kitchen was done, I don't think "country" was the look you were going for. So, under the circumstances, good choice!

Is this a Victorian house? Is it not an Edwardian house?

That "before" picture of the kitchen is going to cause me to vomit in my dreams tonight, I just know it. Great job on the kitchen, folks would never have guessed what once lurked there.

And the bathroom is gorgeous and very interesting! Never seen a set up of a shower next to the tub, and that original stain glass window really seals the deal. I'll remember this one for sure.

The before was awful except for the kitchen sink and the windows and door. But I don't get the big metal vent thing in front of the window...how will you ever clean back there with stove splash ups and the general greasiness that ends up over a stove? And the old kitchen door looks really out of place with all that modern. I don't get the blue in the bathroom either. Or the mini toilet. I guess I'm just too partial to vintage. Why live in a Victorian if it doesn't feel like one? They need to be preserved as part of American history not made to look modern. Just my opinion.

I truly thought that no-one would have liked the before pictures. What a contrary lot on AT!
Beautiful and different reno. Well done.

@lyonstill, they had to redo all the plumbing in the bath, which means ripping out the old tile.

Yet another characterless renovation. Coudn't you have done something in keeping with the period house? Looks like every new build condo. At least the stained glass window survived.

Um, just to be clear. That is not an update. That is a renovation.

Wow, you had your work cut out for you. Lovely job. I for one think it's great, and indeed, you had some major patience to live with it as it was for so long.

Agreed. This is a renovation. Not thrilled with the IKEA kitchen honestly. I wish you would have incorporated the old sink. Those are worth some money and many are installing them again. Dont like the stove placement in front of the window and the hood covering it. Think it needs to be thought out a bit better. I do like the bathroom idea of the shower and bathtub separate but still enclosed in one class shower. Never seen that before.

My first thought upon seeing the old kitchen was, "Isn't that the house where Walter kept his prisoner in Breaking Bad?"

Beautifully done!

Fantastic. I don't know why there would be any negativity- it looks great.

I really like the idea with the stall shower/tub and I think it would work PERFECTLY in the bathroom I need to renovate in my home.

Nasty Befores, lovely Afters! :)

How could you not restore that beautiful sink!! Sink blasphemy I say.

@HGD - the stove was already under the window originally, I'm guessing that they didn't want to move it

I hope she likes her new kitchen, but frankly, if the aim was to create a new kitchen that blended with a 1906 house, the end result is not very successful. You could place that same kitchen in a brand new condo without missing a beat. Sorry, but I think there was a big missed opportunity here. With that much money invested, hiring a kitchen designer who had experience with older homes would have been a smart first step. $90,000 is a lot of money for a pretty cookie-cutter result.

Also to the author, not to quibble, but "Victorian" is not a style of architecture. Victorian refers to the time period of the reign of Victoria, who died in 1901 (before this house was built). A house might be Queen Anne, Italianate, etc., but there isn't really any such thing as "a Victorian" home.

The before and after is a jaw dropper.

Pink bathrooms are making a comeback. She's gonna regret it!

http://savethepinkbathrooms.com/

Um...Victorian architecture can refer to a collection of architectural styles popular in the 1800s aka Victorian era and it's at least common in lay terms to speak of Victorian architecture or something looking "Victorian," just as one might say "Gingerbread" or "Painted Ladies." The Queen Anne style was popular until 1910, so this house could be in that vein. Also the woman featured in this piece is named Victoria, which I'm sure contributed to a less-than-perfectly-precise use of the term.

I, too, love the looks of that sink, at least in the pictures. It is, however MASSIVE. I can't tell if you had blocked off the left basin or if it's meant to another work surface like that. Unless it works really well with your new setup, I understand the change. My 1930s apartment has an adorable and very similar sink that can fit barely anything and stains constantly (lots of magic eraser!). I can definitely envision a kitchen built around that sink - just not one that fits your aesthetic.

The placement of the peninsula is clever - I can't tell if it gets in the way of the area behind it, or if there's just a pantry or something back there.

Love that you kept the bathroom window! I'd like to see the vanity, etc - a little limited just seeing the shower/tub and toilet.

The kitchen looks like it comes from one of those overpriced condos people look at on House Hunters. It's fine if that's what you want, and obviously the kitchen needed renovated, but ripping out the entire original kitchen and installing IKEA cabinets and stainless steel appliances does not take a design genius.

I do like the new bathroom layout! It looks great with the stained glass window.

The left side of the original sink is probably a ridged drainboard. My very first apartment had a similar sink--that drainboard was the only counter space I had.

Yes, I like the old sink. But my guess is that finding faucets to fit it would be expensive--they don't make a lot of faucets that go on a vertical face of the sink any more. I know, I tried to find handles and a faucet for a bathroom sink once--the few choices I could find were very expensive.

And after 100 years, the porcelain or enamel or whatever it is on those sinks would be chipped and rough and difficult to keep clean. You could resurface it, or for the same money, go out and get a sink that you like better and that better suits your needs.

Vintage can look nice, but it isn't always functional. In a kitchen, you sometimes have to put function over form.

Re: Edwardian or Victorian -- Edwardian stained glass windows were more geometrical and less floral, with color palettes that were less brightly colored. That's a huge generalization, of course, but with only one window as a clue, it's hard to tell what style the house is.
Whatever style the house is, the kitchen was no particular style at all, and decrepit besides, so congratulations to Victoria for getting the kitchen and bath she wanted!

what ana lisa said about the kitchen and the bathroom looks like a bland hotel with ppor color choice, weird bath and shower layout and a random stained glass window. I would have preferred the before bath with new wallpaper or no wallpaper. they took all of the charm of the old and flushed it.

I can't believe that kitchen was used for nine years! It was truly worthy of being gutted out.

Congratulations on the reno! Those who take on old homes are very brave.

@AMYGOOG Where do you live? $90K is not enough for a downpayment on a house where I live (urban Toronto), just a condo.

I love the bathroom and the shower/bathtub combo. It's exactly what I would do. I was surprised by the kitchen even though it does look nice. I thought it would've been more in keeping with the Victoria style mentioned. However, I do not know what the rest of the house looks like so the more contemporary style could be a better fit. Or you wanted to get as far away from the the original kitchen as you can. It is scary!

The kitchen had to be ripped out without a doubt. I wish they would've stayed true to the architecture of the house. It breaks my heart when a house is renovated and the home's style is disregarded. Houses are left looking skitzophrenic for a future owners to come in and renovate them. It's a vicious cycle.

I hope the sink in the kitchen and the fixtures in the restroom were donated or sold to an architectural salvage store.

The bathroom...hmmm.. it also needed to be ripped out from the 50's and brought back to its original glory.

It's functional now. It has that going.

My first thought on this was, "Ooh, please keep the sink!" Even though they didn't (I'm sure it's not the most practical sink), I do really like the kitchen. It is nice to respect the period, but after living with the 'Before' for 9 years, I'm sure they just wanted a new kitchen.

Absolutely love the bathroom tub & shower configuration.

Wow, $90k!! How much of that was the new water main? That is a LOT of moolah.

Woah!

How could you stand cooking in that kitchen for 9 years!?! Amazing!

While the kitchen is nice, it lacks character. I can't believe the renovation cost so much. I'm assuming we are not seeing a lot of where the money went since both rooms are pretty basic looking.

One more vote for "save the pink bathroom." Mega cool.

Love the new bathroom! I spent time in Japan and fell in love with their nightly bathing ritual to fill the bathtub with hot water, shower first adjacent to the bathtub and then step into the bath once you're clean. Very relaxing.

I have to agree that I'm not a fan with the style of the kitchen, it seems generic looking for a Victorian house.

Quite the Alice Kramden 'before' kitchen; minus the dishwasher. The after is ok; not crazy about it, but would have hated it if it were country farm kitchen or (yuck) shabby Victorian (non) chic. The before bath wasn't all that great a 'pink bathroom' but hope the fixtures, tiles were saved for someone who'd appreciate and use them. THe costs must come from so many uber upscale brands I've never / rarely heard of.

You are a strong woman to live with the Victorian kitchen for nine years. The cabinet next to the dishwasher (is that where the trash can went?) alone would have sent me screaming into the night. I love that you now have a bright shiny new kitchen and bathroom. Out of the darkness and into the light!!

I love old sinks as much as the next AT reader but people, you have to design an entire kitchen around a sink that big - likely involving custom cabinets and resulting in less counter space. Not for everyone.

I can totally understand why the kitchen was updated...those cabinets were horrible, but I would have preferred that the original sink was saved. Also preferred the gray and pink bathroom...at least that had some personality, but that awful wallpaper would have to go and I would have painted the walls a bright white. Sad that now it all looks very generic and somewhat bland. The most interesting thing in the bathroom is the stained glass window, which is the only remnant of the original.

As others have said, I'm sad that the renovation does not harmonize with the rest of the . house. If you want a modern style, choose a modern house. The new spaces could be anywhere, and still have awkward features, like the stove and hood placement, and the bathtub/shower combo.

However, I am glad that the homeowners no longer have to use an umbrella in the kitchen or dodge falling ceilings!

Very generic looking but I do like your idea of the bathtub and shower togther. Who came up with that? That was genius.

I'm confused here... what exactly was the kitchen "supposed" to look like, since the commenters all have their panties in a knot?

I think the result is gorgeous. And I really don't think it would bother me to have a Victorian exterior with a modern interior. In fact I think I'd quite like it. And I'm going to guess that there are other people out there like me and the owners of this house, who would buy the house BECAUSE it has that specific pairing - outdoor with old character, modern day sleek interior! (I also really love the bath/shower combo, I want to try it!)

I don't understand why there are so many "rules" involved in what people do with their living spaces and their furniture that AH commenters seem to demand adherence to. Different tastes is one thing, but demanding that people must do one thing or another just seems... unnecessary. And stupid. You're just wasting your breath, honestly, because all you're going to accomplish is that either A) the person featured in the post will ignore you or B) they will feel bad about their work because all people can do is trash talk it. Seriously, I've barely seen any USEFUL critique here - like, "One source of inspiration you could use for a kitchen like this that would blend well with a Victorian design is..." Telling them they have a cookie cutter kitchen is not helpful or useful in the least. It's just petty.

I've recently gone through a major house rehab, including repairing the basement, removing two layers of siding, one of which was asbestos, re-siding my entire house, replacing most of the windows, and gutting the kitchen and replacing it with solid wood, custom-made cabinetry and new appliances, and the total was only somewhat more than $90k, and it took my contractor, who's one of the most respected and expensive in the area, about 5 months. What's more, I live on the east coast, not in the middle of nowhere.

So I'm a bit confused about how a bath and kitchen reno could cost so much and take so long to complete.

I had been concerned because my project came in over budget, but now I'm thinking that I got a bargain.

@annalisa, if you read the source list, you'll see those are not Ikea cabinets.

I'd also like to know what a kitchen more "in character" with the house is supposed to look like. I mean, just because you buy an old house doesn't mean you have to live in a museum. I understand the desire to preserve the character of the home, but what exactly does that look like when taking into account the desire for a more modern functioning kitchen?

I LOVE the bathroom! It makes so much sense for using, for cleaning...

I am also happy to see that the original stained glass window made it into the after. It's a great pop of color and period charm in a beautiful, modern design!

Well, no matter what the nay-sayers think, I think both rooms are gorgeous! My only minor kvetch would be the stove in front of the window, but I guess I can't spot a better place, either, so confronting the idea of taking the window out completely or doing what you did, I'd probably do what you did as well. (However, I do wish you luck cleaning it! They sell handled sponge window washers, maybe that would help?)

A mid century pink AND GRAY (ick) bathroom was not original to the house, either, so making another of those disgusting spaces go away, especially as you did, is more than fine with me! (I think the blue is ethereal and looks great with the white and beautiful stained glass.) Some people want to live in museums. Some people know that the house may be old, but we are living in the 21st century, and change happens.

I also hate the old sink. The modern take looks fine (although I prefer stainless for maintenance), but the old one just looked clunky and ill-proportioned. It belongs in a farmhouse (museum) kitchen.

Overall a massive improvement and one a future buyer "like me" would also appreciate! Well done!

What happened to the original sink? I would have kept it and designed the kitchen around it.
I do like your choice of cabinetry and would love to see the island that moves. We're house hunting and can only afford a fixer upper, so a movable island seems like a good choice for older homes.
New bathroom is a bit too original for me. I guess I'd have to try it and see how I feel in it.

I cannot believe how negative many of these comments are! I imagine if many of you had actually ever lived with that type of huge old drainboard sink, you too would have loved getting rid of it. Believe me, these babies are huge, chipped, yellowed, too deep for anyone to comfortably work in, and really quite dreadful. They are not the beautiful gleaming white beauties you all think they are.
Removing a wall, a ceiling, and refitting the pipes is a very costly process; $90K is not unreasonable. This homeowner was not making cosmetic changes; she was doing very major non-visible structural work. If you have't walked in these shoes, don't criticize. I applaud her for taking on a massive project and putting her own stamp upon it.

Oh, how sad! All the charm and personality that they could have kept is gone! Now it looks like all the other kitchens that people like to put in older homes! :-(

Yeah, I'm curious too what chunk of that $90 grand went towards the water main -- that's an enormous sum of cash. Sure wouldn't guess that price tag from the results, anyway.

To keep that old sink, you would have to design the rest of the kitchen around it. Look at it carefully--it blocks part of the window, and if it is centered on that bit of wall, it blocks part of the other window as well. It's massive. It would require a custom cabinet under it. The choice of faucets is limited. And it would probably have to stay exactly where it is, limiting the design potential of the rest of that wall.

Just look at how much more counter space they have in the after photo.

Yes, when I first saw the before picture, I thought, "Oh, they have to save that sink." But remembering my own struggles at keeping a 100 year old sink looking clean, and recognizing the sheer size of this sink, I think the homeowners made the right decision.

Frankly, after they struggled for nine years with the "before" kitchen, I think they deserve whatever the heck they want in the new kitchen.

I love the kitchen. Absolutely love that it's not just a square room.

Can I have the old sink from the kitchen?

9 years? It looks like there is a hundred years of dirt on those floors and cabinets.

Love that you kept the stained glass in the bathroom!

Now that I've read through *all* the comments, I want to chime in again, re: buying a house whose historical integrity you want to protect. We don't just buy a home because it fits our aesthetic. You also have to find the right neighborhood, the right square footage, and--above all--the right price. As long as a few homeowners in every city/county want to be museum-curators of a period style they adore, isn't that enough?

Personally, I hope I can find and buy a home with a 50s pink and black bathroom. And certainly, there are homes whose ridiculously awesome character should be preserved. But I don't think THESE "before" pictures should be tripping that precise alarm.

It's certainly not my favorite kitchen or bathroom on AT, but there are ideas you can take away from nearly any tour. From this one, I noticed that I really like the look of having the cookbooks front and center. Anyway, great thread!

I have been looking at home tours, projects etc for over a year and this is the first time I am ever commenting on someone's project. I registered specifically so I could comment!

I'm glad you saved the stained window in the bathroom. Also, at first I didn't get the shower & tub being enclosed like that but then the thought of cleaning up first before jumping into a bath, sounded so yummy. However, I can't believe this project cost 90k. The kitchen looks like my ikea kitchen. I agree with a lot of people here who wished the original sink would have been saved. I just can't believe the cost.

I agree with several other posters on this one: please can we see the whole house tour! And also, maybe you can start a blog that documents the process? I would really love that.

Gorgeous reno! Keep it up!

To answer some of your questions:
I liked the sink, but it was huge. To keep it, I would have had to have it refinished and would have sacrificed all the counter space next to the stove. I worked with an architect and a kitchen designer on the new layout. There was no feasible alternative to keeping the stove in its original location.
Regarding cost: this was a gut renovation in New York City. You do not see most of what you pay for. We had all the plumbing and much of the wiring in the house replaced, and we added a real powder room. We also had to have the ceiling joists repaired. Labor costs are higher here than most of the country, and we didn't do any of the work ourselves. Renovations of this type usually run well over $100,000 in this neighborhood.

What is interesting about the before if you gut it and throw money at it? What would be interesting is working with what's there. The before is irrelivent if nothing of it remains.

Really great! This post making me realize how much I like to see cookbooks in the kitchen. I've never had the proper room or space to house and display them. Going to be a must for our next house. Thanks!

So bad, that the old sink is gone and that there is no one Victorian element in the kitchen to connect with the old soul of the house and possibly exterior appearance too. At interiordesignarts.com we love to incorporate old elements with new interiors and clients love it for many reasons. Btw; 90K was a huge expense....seems like saving on Miele or Bertazzoni could buy you a more suitable flooring with character.

It is certainly a dramatic makeover, but I tend to agree with the folks who are saying that it lacks panache in the after. I do love the appliances and I actually like the new sink (though the old one was neat -- I have dealt with a similar one and it was a nightmare), but the cabinets and hardware are a bit generic. It does have that contractor-esque feel now, but to each his/her own! It is CERTAINLY a huge improvement over what they had to deal with before...and I can relate to just wanting new and clean! Still, I think it could have been done with a little more grace/personality. I think one thing that might warm it up a bit is removing some of the clutter from the counters and the huge collection of cookbooks. Find some beautiful dishes to put on those open shelves and accessorize with something a bit more artful than the books. Fruit and flowers go a long way. It just needs a little softness, I think. Maybe a gorgeous rug on the floor would help. Right now, it feels too new/impersonal, I think. But man -- I bet it feels GREAT to cook in there after the before!

I laughed at RMBNN's dwscription of the "before" as an "Alice Kramden" kitchen. Even Alice's was better than the before!

When you mentioned you had lived with that ghastly kitchen for 9 years,I was repulsed,but when you stated you live in New York City I understood completely.The fact it ONLY cost 100,000 is a minor miracle.Ive seen that tub/shower combo a few times,and I love it! My only criticism is I dont like the hood and stove in front of the window,but thats a personal preference.Other than that,its lovely.

My mother gutted her grandmother's kitchen in the 90's....I took all the doorfronts and drawers and use them around the house as table tops and storage bins...have been getting compliments on them for years. This kitchen was a mess but she could have found true vintage cabinets.
Torn about the bath...I'm one to save the pink bath...but that shower/bath makes me drool.

And I'm thinking that the before photo of the kitchen was indeed 9 years ago but for $200 a new floor and a coat of paint was a make due improvement 8 1/2 years ago. That picture was not taken right before renovation is my guess.

I came back this morning to read through more of the comments, and I seriously can't believe how rude some people are. Would you people who say these rennovations are so "horrible" dare say that to the homeowners face? Awfully easy to make such rude comments anonymously, though, isn't it? Whatever happened to, "If you can't say anything nice, don't say anything at all?"

And I totally agree with the people who are asking the question, "What exactly is her "Victorian kitchen" supposed to look like? An original kitchen from that era would be a nightmare to run nowadays (there's a reason that technology has improved over time--there's been a NEED for that improvement!). Should she have found an old "original" wood burning or coal burning stove to put in the kitchen? One that she'd have to keep burning 24/7? And I mean, if we're going to be "original" then I doubt that farmhouse sink would even be in the place to begin with. Pretty sure that, around the time this house was built, indoor plumbing was NOT standard. There might have been a water pump inside the kitchen (if the owners were lucky) with a basin to do the dishes in (which would have been removable because you'd have to throw the old dishwater outside when you were done with it). So maybe the owner should have brought THAT back in order to be "true to the house's era." The farmhouse sink is cute, and it does have character...but it's not original. And it's a beast. It would take up half of her counter space.

Some of the people who have posted such icky comments ought to be ashamed of themselves. Bottom line is, this home belongs to Victoria--not you Grinch's. She's entitled to do with it exactly as she wants.

I have a sink like that (the original) in my 1942 kitchen. It's not that great! It isn't very deep, it's hard to clean and I break glasses in it all the time. I'd much prefer a modern sink.

Love the results!!!

Years ago, I lived in a 1920s era apartment with a similar kitchen sink. The left side had drainage grooves and wasn't a good work surface. Think that Victoria's nod to the former sink is a good substitute. The new design gains counter space and, if you love to entertain as she stated, that's important.

The tin-looking backsplash and glass cabinet doors are other nods to the vintage style. When renovating an older home, some difficult choices must be made. The blue walls in the bathroom are a better match to the stained-glass window than the original pink.

Victoria mentioned some major structural and plumbing work had to be done. With that in mind, the 90K price tag was out of necessity, not design. Love the kitchen floor...looks like bamboo, which is very eco friendly. Kudos for updating these rooms and incorporating key elements of the originals.

The result is nice enough and light years better than what she started with, but to me it feels very out of place in a Victorian home? If you wanted a modern look to your home, wouldn't a modern home have been a better fit?

Look closely - her original sink's backsplash weirdly intersects the windows and trim. It's probably not original to the kitchen. The new renovation better respects the proportions of the windows and the trim has been restored. I think the design would have been further improved with white or cream cabinets with slighly more detail, especially at the top. The countertops look nice, but the dishwasher installation could have been better. All in all, though, kudos!

OMG the sink! the sink! New is never better than those old sinks and hardware that have so much charm and are cast iron. OMG. OMG. OMG.

I don't mind updating a bad kitchen or bath, but I do think even a modern design should pay homage to the character and age of the home. Why buy an old home, only to make it look like a standard issue, modern condo? Anyway, nice job. I just wish it nodded more to the era of the home.

I for once would love to have a vintage tiled bathroom like that. I hate seeing them destroyed.

Some people have to have patience. They have to wait 9 years to do what they would have liked to do on day one. Many people who buy don't have the funds to immediately re-do their kitchens or baths. Or they don't want to go into debt. I know. I had to wait the same amount of time to afford to do anything to my tiny Victorian in SF. All I wanted was for the rooms to be functional and clean. I managed to be very happy with the result,

I for one am glad to see the modern update. I find faux-olde-worlde renovations to be kitschy in the extreme. They are simply modern pretending to be something they are not and lack integrity for that reason. Fake Victoriana dishwasher anyone? It *is* a modern renovation and should *look like* a modern renovation. As for that old sink, it's too bulky and if you look you will notice it doesn't even fit the space properly, it blocks the window! Who knows what kind of grime was lurking in there too! I really like the shower/bath combo too, the bathroom is a vast improvement. Well done.

Both look great, HUGE improvements, no way I could have lived 9 years with that kitchen....but...

If there is a Miele dishwasher.....why am I looking at a dish drying rack taking up valuable counter space? And is that a microwave on the other counter? 90 grand couldn't find a place for a microwave?

Just curious......

I'll echo the original sink love but it's one of those things where a picture may be deceiving. The before kitchen. Good God. 9 years? Bravo!

I am for one really liking the shower/bath combo in the After as I am not a fan of the trend to shower only bathrooms these days and that's a really great mix of the two.

You kept the window! I love it!

@ Mark Tisdale - I still think that my earlier comment is a good one: sometimes we have to buy a house that isn't our style because of location, size, layout, or price. Those are legitimate practical issues that no homeowner can ignore. If we were only restricted to buying houses whose style we adored, we would have a much harder time.

@James from TheCavenderDiary - I have a great dishwasher and a drying rack on my counters too. It's for the dishes I don't put in the dishwasher: nice china & big pots and pans.

But the real reason why I wanted to comment is because after I read the whole thread, I went and tried having a shower + bath combo. AMAZING! I loved it so much.

I've seen these renovations. They look even better in person. The kitchen renovation does not look like a condo renovation. It's lovely and really works. I have a similar home so know the problems. In order not to have a stove in front of a window you would have to totally renovate the space. These homes have many windows and doors. Sometimes one can overboard in trying to "restore". This kitchen really fits into this home nicely. When these homes were built, many people had servants who worked in the kitchen and served in the dining room.

To clear up the confusion about "Victorian". We have an area called "Victorian Flatbush". My British cousin saw these homes and wondered why as some of you wonder since they were constructed after Victoria. The only reason I have been able to find out is that they have "Victorian details".

newburghbaby

Man, I agree. I want that old sink! Please tell me it was donated! (and where?)

Have any of those who covet the sink ever had one? Ever tried to sell one? Ever GC a project? When one has a white elephant it is easier to call salvage and have them cart it away.
As for being in keeping with "Victorian", it is VERY Victorian to be modern in the kitchen and bathroom. I live in the same neighborhood as Victoria and also had the same sink. They are pitted and rusty and simply too big when one wants counter space and storage.
Yes, 1906 is Edwardian. But our homes here are referred to here as Victorian, so that is that.
And those cabinets are NOT Ikea. They are much better. And beautiful.

Some of your comments inspired a little research into turn of the century kitchens.

Homeowners at that time valued cleanliness and efficiency over ornament. A kitchen’s beauty came from its practicality, and without being practical, no kitchen was beautiful. It was meant to be a workroom, and the more organized and sanitary it was, the better. If something wasn’t used every day, it got put away. Cabinets with closed doors and latches were considered essential, as they kept the dishes and utensils stored in them cleaner than open shelving. Cross ventilation was important. From this point of view the choices we made are completely in keeping with the spirit of the house.

The original owners would have chosen the best appliances and cabinetry they could afford. With deep respect for the craftsmanship of the period we did not embark on a low budget rehab that would have had to be redone as soon as the sclerotic lead pipes gave up or the kitchen ceiling caved in. I am confident the original owners would have been thrilled with a Meile dishwasher.

For you museum-style preservationists out there: the original claw foot tub from the second floor bathroom was moved to the third floor when the pink fixtures were installed in the forties. It is still there, along with one of those giant toilets that use way too much water.

My house is considered a small Queen Anne Victorian. It was built as part of a “development” designed for middle class buyers who were looking for “country living in the city” with the same materials as the larger, custom built houses in the neighborhood. The differences can be seen in the size and number of rooms, the number of stained glass windows, the height of the second and third floor ceilings and the quality of the parquet borders on the second floor.

I love those original farmhouse sinks with the integral backsplash and built in drainboards that were common in the 1920's. I grew up in a house with a double drainboard one in the kitchen and a single drainboard one in the laundry room. The original owners added a shelf on the non drainboard side so they probably wish they had purchased the double drainboard model for the laundry room too. I found them very easy to clean with a sponge with a scrubby side and any of the following cleansers: Comet, Ajax, Bar Keeper's Friend or Bon Ami all of which can be purchased for less then $1.50 at most grocery stores. I loved these sinks because the drainboard was integrated and had a curved raised lip with drainboard sides so water did not collect on the sides, unlike my current drop in sink over a formica counter. I also liked these sinks because the faucets were mounted on the very tall backsplash so water had no place to collect behind the faucet, nor could water collect on the flat area on a four inch backsplash because the backsplash is so much taller and curved down so water does not collect.I also like the double drainboard because when washing fresh fruit and vegetables you have a place to put the fruit without having to worry about getting the counter wet or having water drip down on your cabinets. I was devastated to find out my dad had thrown out the sinks when he re-did the kitchen and laundry room. I wanted those sinks. This being said the single drainboard sink in the kitchen didn't fit because it overlapped a window.

I do understand the old house stewards who feel that when one buys and old house one should at least make a nod to recognizing the history of the house and incorporating some of those elements into the house. We old house stewards feel that we are just care takers for old houses for a short time period, the houses will live long after we are gone so we need to honor the history of the house. While some old house stewards are willing to live in a museum like setting many of us are not. We honoring the houses history by utilizing historic elements, adding those back in that have been removed all the while while including modern amenities sometimes using subterfuge methods to hid things such as microwaves and dishwashers. For Victorian elements I think this would have meant included cabinetry that we often see in Victorian Butler's pantries such as http://blog.oregonlive.com/hg_impact/2009/04/medium_kitcraftsbutler09.JPG or https://encrypted-tbn1.gstatic.com/images?q=tbn:ANd9GcSvw2yyvAx1IyxHs4uGTZa-0ffvJSXt_zVXHXFmwCh41gsLby6E.

The original 1930's bathroom had great tile work at a great height and the spiral tile floor was amazing. I would have kept the old bathroom minus the wallpaper. While not in keeping with the age of the house. Everything that we see in the picture looks to be in good shape and it is all from the 1930's and very solid no hodge pod of elements from different time periods. The new bathroom is rather bland in my opinion and doesn't include Victorian elements such as hexagional floor tiles and white subway tile. That being said I also like the tub, shower combo for ease of cleaning but they could have added this while incorporating the white subway tile and black and white hexagional floor tile and sink style. Thank you for showing us your home and letting us put our two cents in. Enjoy your new kitchen and bathroom.

I think you are brilliant both in waiting to renovate and then in doing it so beautifully. Your home will only increase in value with such lovely functional renovations. Of course it costs a fortune to redo anything in NYC, but no worries about recouping. Where I live (in the rust belt), it's very scary to do too much to your house now. Our house has dropped to less than half of what we paid for it. I would love to do a kitchen and bath exactly like yours--they are gorgeous. I am hopeful that the economy will improve in my area, and I will feel more confident about investing in my house. Until then, I enjoy looking at your spaces.

The before kitchen would have haunted me EVERY Night!

What matters in the end is that your renovation makes you happy when you look at it and live in it, and that it works for YOU. Let all these vintage, Edwardian versus Victorian purists renovate their homes the way they want. The AT community is so opinionated, and getting quite negative these days. You followed your good tastes, and that is what counts. You have a lovely kitchen and bathroom. Enjoy them! You certainly paid for them!

I am a bit concerned about the shade near the stove. Be careful. Be happy.

Exactly what I was thinking!

I was thinking the same thing! The makeover is beautiful, but I wish the original sink was incorporated. It was charming.

To all of you think you know all about kitchens.

I'm victora's son and I live here. The kitchen was so bad that mom used my preschool "artwork" to cover the walls. The walls were disgusting and no amount of bleach or wall paper could hide the fact. But this is about my kitchen not my walls, the stove barely worked (as a baker I had to go to my neighbors homes to bake because the stove wouldn't work). The sink was big enough for me to bathe when I was 5 and I'm huge. There were no cabinets, there were just mice dens. The counter top....... I don't have to say anything about things that don't exist.
Now my mom is a designer so what makes you think that we would buy a kitchen from the IKEA catalog. You see the specs nothing was purchased at IKEA. I hate seeing that you people think this is a IKEA kitchen without even reading the source list, you look ignorant when you say this. This is my mothers dream kitchen and I would appreciate it if you all would stop ragging on her, this is not your kitchen this is my kitchen.

Btw pink tiles will NEVER be in style

Oh, you think THAT vicky kitchen is bad? Ours is worse....we too are saving up to get it sorted. Its been awhile....lots of patience needed, i just remind myself of the conditions many people have to put up with all over the world...its not so heavy then.

I think the place looks wonderful now...in my dreams :))

To Victoria's son - kudos to you for sticking up for your Mom! To Victoria - your home update looks beautiful, and I personally wanted to write and say 'Thank You' from our Marketing department here at Franke Kitchen Systems for choosing a Franke Fireclay sink - the size you chose with the counter space available is perfect, couldn't have picked a better one myself!

I also read the other brands you chose...all great choices. We are a fan of many...Miele, Faber, Merillat, Bertazonni and Caesarstone.

Here at Franke we wish you many years of health and happiness in your updated home!