‘I wanted it to be dramatic and sensual, to excite all the senses.’

Sierra Gitlin acknowledges that the tired, dirt-brown kitchen in her historic Newburyport home had served her well. She fed her family and prepared Thanksgiving dinners there, and never worried that its speckled granite countertops would show grit from her children’s crafts. That said, she always thought the 1890 Queen Anne Victorian with its fairy tale turrets and ornate fretwork deserved better. As a new empty nester, and in part to distract from the bittersweet reality of this phase of life, Gitlin gifted the home — and herself — a new kitchen.

A creative soul involved in art, history, and theater, she envisioned a remade space that would be anything but sterile. “My style is dark and moody,” the homeowner says. “I wanted it to be dramatic and sensual, to excite all the senses.” It was also important that the kitchen feel cohesive with the rest of the home.

Choosing a distinct direction was more challenging than she had imagined. Kate Daskalakis, who redesigned the space, recalls Gitlin sharing inspiration photos of kitchens with blue, green, and plum-colored cabinetry. The pair landed on Farrow & Ball’s Preference Red, a deep, rich burgundy that reminds the designer of a ruby.