By Thomas Shess

One of the toughest decisions the owner of an Arts and Crafts home has to make is how to reconcile keeping the dwelling true to the original while accommodating modern lifestyles and amenities.

Dennis and Debbie Segers faced this challenge when they purchased their 1915 Craftsman in Los Altos, Calif. The house included an uninspiring kitchen addition that clashed with the home’s period design. The Segerses couldn’t wait to undo the damage. “We wanted something that was Arts and Crafts, but with modern conveniences,” Debbie says.

The couple planned to do much of their day-to-day living in the kitchen and adjacent family room, so the space had to be well crafted, but not overly formal. For design guidance they hired noted Arts and Crafts authority Paul Duchscherer. They were fans of his books Inside the Bungalow, Along Bungalow Lines and Outside the Bungalow, and were pleased to learn he was also a professional interior designer.

Duchscherer teamed with architect John Matthams, contractor Mark De Mattei and glass artist Theodore Ellison to create a modern kitchen that felt appropriate to a period home. A half wall and columns help divide the space from the family room, assuring ample connection but edited views, so the kitchen ends up looking, at first glance, like a cozy inglenook. … Subscribe to read the entire article.