Maximizing Storage in Historic Philadelphia KitchensA century ago, kitchens were purely utilitarian work-spaces. They were not designed for entertaining, nor were they built to store the vast array of appliances, bulk dry goods, and specialized cookware that modern homeowners possess. In historic Philadelphia homes—whether a Federal-style townhouse in Society Hill or a Victorian twin in West Philly—kitchen storage was typically limited to a freestanding Hoosier cabinet and a small larder.Today, forcing modern culinary lifestyles into an unrenovated historic footprint is a daily source of frustration. Cluttered counter-tops and overflowing blind corners are the norm.
However, adding storage to an older home requires finesse. You cannot simply bolt modern, mass-produced cabinets onto 100-year-old plaster walls and expect a seamless fit.At Philly Kitchen & Bath LLC, we excel at bridging the gap between historical character and contemporary functionality. Here is our technical approach to maximizing storage in historic Philadelphia kitchens without compromising their architectural integrity.The Problem with Plaster and SettlingThe primary obstacle to installing cabinetry in a historic home is the condition of the room itself. Century-old houses have settled. The corners of the room are rarely a perfect 90-degree square.
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The horsehair plaster walls are typically wavy or bowed, and the original pine subfloors have noticeable slopes.If you attempt to install prefabricated, Ready-To-Assemble (RTA) cabinets in this environment, the rigid wooden boxes will highlight every flaw in the room. You will end up with gaping holes between the back of the cabinets and the wall, or uneven countertop heights that cause liquids to roll off the edge.The Custom Cabinetry SolutionMaximizing storage in an imperfect space requires custom, built-to-order cabinetry.
Experienced finish carpenters use a technique called “scribing.” They intentionally build the stiles (the vertical edges of the cabinet frames) slightly wider than necessary.
During installation, the carpenter traces the exact waviness of the historic plaster wall onto the wood and carefully shaves the cabinet edge with a planer so it contours perfectly to the wall, leaving zero gaps.Furthermore, custom cabinetry can be built to the exact fractional inch required by your layout, eliminating the need for wide, useless “filler strips” that waste valuable storage space.Utilizing Vertical Space: Taking Cabinets to the CeilingHistoric homes often feature spectacular ceiling heights—sometimes 9, 10, or even 11 feet tall.
In an unrenovated kitchen, a standard 36-inch upper cabinet leaves several feet of empty, unusable space below the ceiling, which inevitably becomes a collector of dust and grease.To instantly double your upper storage capacity, cabinetry should be designed to extend all the way to the ceiling.Stacked Cabinets: For very tall ceilings, a stacked design is highly effective.
A primary upper cabinet holds everyday plates and glassware, while a smaller row of cabinets installed directly above it (often with glass fronts and interior lighting) stores seasonal items, holiday platters, and decorative pieces.Integrating Historic Cornices: If the kitchen features original plaster crown molding, tearing it out to install cabinets is a travesty.
A skilled carpenter can design the upper cabinetry to stop just below the original molding, or custom-mill a wooden crown molding that perfectly matches the profile of the historic plaster to create a cohesive transition.High-Performance Internal HardwareTrue storage maximization is not just about the size of the wooden box; it is about how the interior volume is engineered.
Deep base cabinets are notorious for becoming dark voids where Tupperware and pots disappear forever.Modern internal hardware mechanisms are the secret to highly functional historic kitchens:Tall Pantry Pull-Outs: Instead of relying on a dark, reach-in closet, a narrow 12-inch or 15-inch gap between a refrigerator and a wall can be transformed into a floor-to-ceiling pull-out pantry.
The entire shelving unit rolls out smoothly on heavy-duty tracks, giving you instant visual access to every can and spice jar from both sides.Blind Corner Solutions: The intersection where two runs of cabinets meet (the corner) is often wasted space.
We utilize advanced articulated hardware, such as the “Le Mans” kidney-shaped pull-outs or “Magic Corner” sliding racks, which bring the contents of the deep, dark corner completely out into the room.Appliance Garages: To keep counter-tops pristine, custom appliance garages with retracting tambour doors or bifold hinges can hide coffee makers, toasters, and blenders at counter height, complete with internal electrical outlets.Aesthetic Considerations: Inset vs.
Overlay CabinetryWhen integrating modern storage into a historic home, the style of the cabinet door determines whether the renovation feels authentic or awkwardly out of place.Full Overlay: The door covers the entire face frame of the cabinet. This provides a sleek, seamless, and highly modern look, but it can feel stark and out of character in a 19th-century home.Inset Cabinetry: The door is set flush inside the wooden face frame of the cabinet, requiring precise craftsmanship so the door swings freely without rubbing.
This is the traditional method of cabinet making used in the 1800s and early 1900s. Specifying inset cabinetry, paired with classic hardware like exposed hinges and cup pulls, provides massive modern storage capacity while looking as though it has always belonged in the home.
FAQs About Historic Kitchen StorageWill I lose my home’s historical status if I remodel the kitc
hen?If your home is listed on the Philadelphia Register of Historic Places, the Historical Commission generally only regulates changes to the exterior envelope of the building. Interior kitchen renovations rarely require Historical Commission review, though you should always verify your property’s specific status.How do I support heavy wall cabinets on old plaster walls?You cannot hang heavy custom cabinetry solely on old wood lath and plaster.
The installation team must locate the original vertical wall studs (which are often irregularly spaced in older homes) and drive heavy structural screws through the cabinet backs directly into the solid timber to ensure they can bear the weight of heavy dishes.Can I hide modern appliances behind cabinetry panels?Yes. “Panel-ready” appliances (refrigerators, dishwashers, and even range hoods) are designed to accept custom wooden panels that match your cabinetry perfectly.
This allows you to conceal stainless steel appliances, maintaining a seamless, traditional, and historic aesthetic.Modernizing the storage capacity of a historic kitchen requires a delicate balance of respect for the past and innovative design for the future. Contact Philly Kitchen & Bath LLC to explore custom storage solutions tailored to your unique Philadelphia property.
