This Nearly 100-Year-Old Cottage Underwent a Stunning Kitchen Overhaul

A year after redesigning her client’s daughter’s home, designer Melissa Ennis was asked to return—this time, to reimagine the kitchen just ten steps across the street. The client had recently purchased a 1931 traditional cottage in Edmonton’s Garneau neighborhood, trading in her large, contemporary home for something more intimate and enduring. With its original arched doorways, preserved hardware, and compact scale, the house had architectural charm, but the kitchen was small, dark, and disconnected from the rest of the layout. Melissa’s task was to create a warm, functional kitchen that honored the house’s heritage while making space for future family meals, daily routines, and everything to come.

Design: Melissa Ennis Design | Photography: Sharon Litchfield

Preserving Charm & Expanding Possibility

The original kitchen was tucked at the back of the house—narrow, cramped, and not all that usable. Melissa extended the rear exterior wall just a few feet into the yard, which was enough to make room for a central island, better flow, and taller cabinets that actually made use of the ceiling height. The new surfaces are topped with Sea Pearl Quartzite, a soft, subtly veined stone that brings in both texture and warmth. Above it all, a curved plaster range hood—designed and rendered by Melissa’s studio— anchors the room, while gently arched toe-kick cutouts at the base of the cabinetry nod to the home’s 1930s roots.

A layered palette keeps the space feeling warm and rooted. The island is painted Benjamin Moore Saybrook Sage, the perimeter cabinets are Sherwin-Williams Shoji White, and the white oak uppers above the sink bring natural texture and variation. Aged brass hardware from Rejuvenation adds polish without feeling flashy, and soft off-white walls (Benjamin Moore Baby Fawn) tie everything together.

Design in the Details

From the start, Melissa aimed to make the renovation feel like it had always been there. New arched openings were added to match the originals, seamlessly connecting the kitchen to the front hall and dining room. A backsplash inset in the plaster hood features hand-painted Tabarka tile in soft green and charcoal, tying back to the color of the island.

Even the cabinetry tells a story. The glass-front cabinets flanking the sink were modeled after the original fireplace built-ins in the adjacent living room, creating continuity between old and new. 

Extra Clever Solutions

A stairline behind the fridge created an awkward moment that could have compromised the cabinetry. Instead, Melissa bumped out the fridge wall and designed a custom enclosure that disguises the angle entirely. The result is seamless and a perfect example of the kind of clever, behind-the-scenes problem-solving that defines the project.

Other moments show the same level of care: layered lighting (pendants, recessed fixtures, and a single aged brass sconce centered on the window) gives the space both function and mood. Nothing is overdesigned, but everything has been considered, right down to the gently rounded corners on the custom millwork.

The Heart of the Home

The kitchen may be the heart of the home, but in this case, it’s pulling triple duty—adding charm, solving problems, and looking good while doing it. Brass “Duchess” pendants from Hudson Valley Lighting hang above the island, bringing a little glow and grounding the space without stealing the show. A single Poplar sconce from Rejuvenation sits neatly above the sink window, like a soft exclamation point. The cabinetry is finished with a curated mix of pulls, latches, and handles. And the floor tile, set on the diagonal in a soft gray stone, adds a subtle sense of movement without pulling focus.

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