Main Street Inn
Karen Kulberg, Innkeeper & Contact
Ste. Genevieve, MO
How does one integrate an approved contemporary commercial kitchen into an historic structure and still have the space look like its always been there? Start with a big blue stove.
Designing any kitchen is a daunting task when constrained by space, budget, and efficient operation. Adding in the requirements mandated by the state health and sanitation department and the need to keep the overall look harmonious with the remainder of the antique building made the task even more challenging until we found our Aga, our big blue stove.
The Aga provided the focal point for the kitchen design. We placed its 1200 lbs of cobalt blue enameled cast iron against an exposed brick wall in full view of anyone entering the dining room. It is in exactly the right place to be used by one or more cooks, and the sight of the stove is an immediate draw to visitors. So much so that we now include promotional material from the company in our guest room folders. People always seem to be amazed to discover that the four ovens (each a different temperature) are on 24 hours a day without sacrificing efficiency. They are also surprised to discover that it is really a new stove, not a reproduction, and that the company in Birmingham, England has been making them with very few modifications since 1922.
Once the stove was selected, the rest of the kitchen design fell into place. Glass-fronted cabinets and open shelves were built of Missouri walnut by a local carpenter, an antique pine table topped with a solid surface laminate became the central work island, and an antique linen press completed the storage and work needs. The commercial dishwasher, huge refrigerator/freezer, and multiple sinks are hardly noticed by the casual observer.
