Dutch Treat

See how vision transformed this classic colonial kitchen into a stunning and functional multipurpose work area, the center of fun family activities.

- Catherine Titus Felix

When a builder and homeowners go halfsies on kitchen design, it’s a treat all around. You could call Sarah and Scott Weghorst’s gracious Toledo, Ohio, home a “classic” Dutch colonial—but it’s also so much more. Built in 1916, before the Dutch colonial style was ubiquitous, the home has plenty of family space and great architectural details. “If you asked me to build this house today, I would do it exactly the same way,” Sarah says. “The first time I saw it, I felt as though it had reached out and hugged me.”

One of its lovable details is a cozy room off the kitchen that appears to have been added shortly after construction. “I think it might have been a servant’s work room,” Sarah says. “ [But now] it’s been a family room for some time.” With two teenagers, a newborn and two dogs in the household, it was exactly what the Weghorsts needed. “We knew we would have to completely gut the space,” Sarah says. “This was a big project, especially with a house this age. You just don’t know what you will get into.”