When the owners of Strawberry Hollow Farm decided to renovate their 1833 farmhouse, they looked for a company that could create tailor-made cabinetry for the original house and the 1996 addition that was in dire need of renovation. It was a very large project involving many moving parts from the owner/designer, contractor and the cabinet maker. Their search took them to MK Designs in Honey Brook, Pennsylvania. The company designs, manufactures and installs a full range of high-end, custom-built kitchen, bathroom, office and built-in cabinetry and wine cellars.
As Mark King, owner and founder of MK Designs, explains, the goal is to build quality and to do it professionally. He has worked alongside dozens of homeowners, builders and other cabinet designers building and designing cabinetry to fit the unique taste of each client. With its Custom Cabinet Design & Manufacturing center located in and around Lancaster County in the heart of the Pennsylvania Amish community, MK Designs draws on its rich Amish heritage and background of hard work and diligence. The location also puts the firm in close proximity to heirloom-quality cabinet resources. Building on professional excellence, MK Designs strives to work closely with clients to understand their cabinet needs, style and vision to build top-quality custom cabinets that display the personality of people.
The Studio at Strawberry Hollow Farm provided very specific interior design vision for each of the project areas. To complement the historic beauty of the original home, MK Designs built cabinetry that incorporated not only a clean, modern farmhouse look but also the functionality that high-end entertaining on a gentleman’s farm requires.
The designer created an elegant farmhouse kitchen, complete with Wolf and Subzero appliances, that also provided functionality with chefs in mind. MK Designs incorporated custom cabinetry that included knife storage, pull-out shelving, custom pan lid storage and a trough bar sink for entertaining. The adjacent butler’s pantry addition was built to provide additional space for caterers and event planners to prep behind the scenes. MK Designs built a custom wall cabinet with sliding barn doors. The pantry provides food storage and a charging drawer. The unit complements the exposed stone wall and whimsical farm motif.
The complementary family room extends from the kitchen area and begins to tie into the older side of the house. The designer specifically wanted the built-in bookcase and surround fireplace mantel to reflect the worn look of a historic home. MK Designs discovered the ultimate process to build the cabinetry, creating a distressed look that reflects exactly what the homeowner was looking for—the look of yesteryear.
The basement project began as unusable space—small and dingy with low ceilings and exposed ductwork. The space was beautifully transformed into a wine cellar and full entertaining bar with antique stained-glass doors that create an inviting entryway. MK Designs used reclaimed wood in the wine racking, cabinetry and floating shelves to create a simple look that complements the use of brick walls, black ceilings and reclaimed mushroom board ceilings. The final project resulted in rustic elegance with an industrial feel, a truly exceptional entertaining area.
Moving onto the laundry area, the design reflects a vivid, modern farmhouse feel with the use of brightly colored tile and shiplap walls. MK Designs matched the blue in the tile to create simple, functional cabinetry that included a linen closet, laundry bin and pull-out storage. The black chandelier and sliding door creates an appealing room with a fun personality.
French country elegance with modern amenities describes the master bathroom. MK Designs again used reclaimed wood to custom-build the vanity that has the functionality of full cabinetry but the look of a distressed piece of French Country furniture. The complementary half-wall cabinet provides privacy, and the built-in window bench completes the look.
For more information, contact MK Designs at thestudio@SFH1833.com.