Back to the Beginning

Knoxville designer Caroline Levenson reworked a galley kitchen to incorporate a cozy breakfast nook—unknowingly restoring its original layout

- CAMERON BEALL

Bonus Touch Gallery rails compensate for the lack of upper cabinetry. "It's a pretty way to store the things you need every day," says Caroline.

WHILE THIS 1950S Garrison Colonial-style home has had only three owners over the years, the second ones renovated the kitchen into a long galley space. It wasn’t until the current residents were putting finishing touches on their own reno with the help of designer Caroline Levenson that the family realized they’d returned the room to its initial floor plan. “We were almost done when a neighbor brought over old pictures of the house from when it was first built, and we saw it was almost exactly how we redesigned it,” says Caroline, “even down to where we put the fridge and cased opening to the breakfast nook.”