Steal This Look: A Hudson Valley DIY Kitchen by a Stealth Design Star

Designer Deborah Ehrlich favors deconstruction over renovation and reduction over decoration. Her 1722 Hudson Valley farmhouse is proof: Ehrlich opened up the floor plan, exposed beams and plaster walls, sanded the floor, relocated the kitchen to a room originally used to store wood, and then, she says, “just left it.” The relocated kitchen is now part of a clapboard addition to the stone house, and is kitted out with handbuilt plywood countertops, a vintage utility sink, and a modified Viking oven. To re-create the look of Ehrlich’s kitchen, read on.

Above: Ehrlich’s commissioned utilitarian table in the kitchen. Photograph by Justine Hand from House Call: At Home in the Hudson Valley with Designer Deborah Ehrlich. Above: A Viking wall oven with custom wood oven pull is set into a plywood counter with a gas cooktop above. Photograph by Justine Hand from House Call: At Home in the Hudson Valley with Designer Deborah Ehrlich. Above: Ehrlich’s flatware, inherited from family, is stored out in the open. Photograph by Justine Hand from House Call: At Home in the Hudson Valley with Designer Deborah Ehrlich. Above: A vintage utility sink adds to the workshop feel of the kitchen. Photograph by Justine Hand from House Call: At Home in the Hudson Valley with Designer Deborah Ehrlich.

Appliances

Above: The [product id="974378"]Viking Professional 30-Inch Single Electric Wall Oven[/product] is a similar model to the Viking oven that Ehrlich modified with a wooden pull and inset into a handmade plywood counter. It’s $6,399 at Hallocks. Above: The [product id="974383"]Viking Professional 30.7 Inch Gas Cooktop[/product] is a newer model than Ehrlich’s cooktop. It’s $2,799 at AJ Madison.

Faucets & Fixtures

Above: The [product id="974398"]Chicago Faucets Wall-Mounted Kitchen Sink Faucet[/product] is $176.01 at the Chicago Faucet Shoppe. Above: The [product id="974405"]Kohler Bannon 24-Inch Wall Mount Service Sink[/product] has the feel of a vintage utility sink like the one in Ehrlich’s kitchen (Deborah’s was a gift from a friend); $1,392.85 at Kohler. For more, see 10 Easy Pieces: Utility Sinks.

Lighting

Above: From Barn Light, the Copper Esso Cord Pendant Light starts at $252. Above: The Norfolk 4-Inch Ceiling Light has a retro appeal; $149.99 at Schoolhouse Electric.

Furniture

Above: The Vintage Traditional Set of 4 Wood Chairs from Rejuvenation is $1,899 for the full set. Above: Ehrlich has a [product id="602498"]Saarinen Tulip Armless Chair[/product], available new for $2,745 at Design Within Reach.

Accessories

Above: You can source a similar simple schoolhouse chalkboard from restaurant supply stores. This one, the [product id="974462"]Aarco Oak 36-Inch Black Chalk Board[/product], is $139.99 at Webstaurant Store. Above: The [product id="607041"]Provendi Soap Holder[/product] is €22.84 for the holder and single soap at Provendi.

Above: The simple Ikea Välvårdad Dish Drying Rack is $8.99. Above: [product id="974469"]J. R. Watkins Dish Soap in Grapefruit[/product] is Ehrlich’s choice; currently it’s $44 on Amazon. Above: For a simple striped dish towel, the Ikea Rinnig Dish Towel is $3.99 for a pack of 4.

Above: One of Ehrlich’s [product id="924300"]Maple Cutting Boards[/product] hangs on the wall behind the sink. It’s made locally from maple; $125 for the smallest of the three at March. Above: The [product id="974478"]Sabre Paris Pop Unis 5-Piece Place Setting[/product] in Khaki is $106.95 at Yvonne Estelle’s. For more, see 10 Easy Pieces: Bistro-Style Stainless Flatware. Above: The [product id="613421"]Mason Cash Mixing Bowls[/product] in white start at $19.68 on Amazon. Above: The [product id="616774"]Staub Cast Iron Round Cocotte[/product] in Basil is $420 for the 5.5 quart size at Williams Sonoma. Above: A [product id="974473"]Bredemeijer Cosy Manto Teapot[/product] is $128.62 on Amazon. New, its copper base is shiny, but in time it will develop a rustic patina. Above: On the dining table are Ehrlich’s own [product id="974484"]Simple Crystal Glassware[/product], designed in her Hudson studio and handblown in Sweden; starting at $70 at March.

Above: The [product id="974488"]Ted Meuhling E. R. Butler Biedermeier Candlesticks[/product] in Satin Silver are available through Kneen & Co. starting at $650 each.For more farmhouse interiors, see our posts:

• Steal This Look: The Ultimate Farmhouse Kitchen
• Steal This Look: A Modern Farmhouse Dining Room in France
• Steal This Look: A Modern Farmhouse Kitchen, California Wine Country Edition

N.B.: This story originally appeared on August 22, 2017 and has been updated with new links and pricing.