This 1800s farmhouse in Dover, Massachusetts, had lots of original charm but also had undergone several renovations over the years. The homeowners, parents of two young boys, needed help adapting the kitchen to work with their 21st-century lifestyle. “I would describe my clients’ style as traditional but clean and unfussy,” interior designer Jeanne Barber says.

The existing kitchen was generously sized but had a lot of wasted space. For the new layout, Barber considered things like improving the traffic flow between rooms, accommodating gatherings and creating a way for the young children who live here to grab drinks and snacks in a spot outside the work triangle. She aimed to blend modern conveniences with traditional elements, and she did so skillfully, giving the kitchen what she calls “mood and soul.”