B ob and Brenda Kerr just wanted their kitchen to look as if it belonged in their house.
It doesn’t seem like a lofty goal for a remodel, until you consider that the couple lives in the Rucker Mansion, a beloved historical home with deep roots in the Everett community.
Brothers Wyatt and Bethel Rucker, civic leaders, built the home in 1905 on what later became known as Rucker Hill. It has 13,000 square feet and is four stories tall, with balconies, a ballroom and a conservatory.
When the Kerrs purchased the home in 1997, it still had many of its original features, including coffered ceilings crafted from quarter-sawn white oak and cut-velvet wall coverings.
“It was remarkably well-preserved,” Brenda Kerr said. “I say that, because a lot of things can happen to a house in a hundred years.”
One thing that had changed was the kitchen. A 1960s remodel lowered the ceiling and covered the hardwood floors with vinyl, in addition to adding modern cabinets and appliances.
The couple wanted the kitchen to feel like it belonged in a stylish early 20th century house, but they still wanted modern conveniences like a refrigerator and a pot-filler faucet next to the range. They embarked on a three-year remodel, and the finished kitchen is a stunning showpiece.
Walk into the finished room and you won’t see a dishwasher, refrigerator, television or any other modern appliance. All are hidden behind custom cabinets made to resemble other woodwork in the home. The electric outlets are hidden, and task lighting is situated out of sight under cabinets.
Everything in this kitchen, down to the antique pull knobs on the drawers, is carefully thought out. One of the cleverest features of the house is a dog dish holder for their little pooch, appropriately named Rucker. Push just the right spot in the cabinets, and the dog dish pops out.
The only major appliance in sight is a gourmet gas range. Above it hangs an etching in marble of the Rucker Mansion that took an artist three months to complete. The vinyl on the floor is long gone, replaced by salvaged marble that once graced the walls of the Seattle Opera House.
The kitchen island is custom made with salvaged piano legs that Bob Kerr spotted at an auction.
Reporter Debra Smith: 425-339-3197 or dsmith@heraldnet.com.
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