BOTTOM : looking down to the kitchen from the recording studio doorway , with the bathroom on the right ; the stairs at the back , left , lead to the main level living area .
Star Turn
In the scene-stealing world of color and design , black is the new white . “ Black isn ’ t going anywhere . It looks fantastic , especially in a small space ,” says designer Janelle Blakely , founder of Blakely Interior Design . “ It creates contrast , your eye is drawn to it .” Case in point : its use in the renovated kitchen and bath of this Wakefield project , where it kicks up the look several notches , enhancing the home ’ s cool , retro vibe . “ Black creates a wow factor ,” she says .
As a former Masonic lodge , the unassuming building , dating to 1890 , was never intended as a residence . The kitchen , stuck in the back on a lower level , had been used as a mess hall in its early life . The goal for the new homeowners , a punk rock star and his artist wife , was a better organized , functioning space for their getaway home , but created on a decidedly non-rock star budget . “ We wanted to make the house work better ,” Blakely says of her clients . The couple , who love vintage , also wanted to move the kitchen , redo the bathroom , and add a recording studio and art studio on the same floor , all while minimizing wasted space .
68 RHODE ISLAND MONTHLY l FEBRUARY 2021