Period style, updated ease

Annexing a pantry gives a cook space needed breathing room, while an original hutch inspires a vintage-look makeover that improves function and flow

- NINA MALKIN

Few folks buy a turn-of-the-century house without some appreciation for its original details. No surprise, then, that Indianapolis homeowners Kaela and Cason Cusack hoped to honor the built-in oak hutch in their circa 1895 American Four square's kitchen. Last renovated in the 1990s, the room also held an awkward angled island that hemmed in the cook, a fridge that blocked traffic, and scant storage and prep space. "We wanted to preserve the beautiful woodwork but make the room flow better so that cooking would be fun," Kaela says.