I would describe my clients for this kitchen remodeling project as “foodies.” They love to explore a variety of cuisines in restaurants, and also love to cook at home. Delicious food is a passion I share with them, and I’ve enjoyed the many conversations we’ve had about our various culinary experiences. I’ve worked with them several times over the years, always knowing we’d get to their kitchen eventually. But during the pandemic, when many of us started cooking at home even more than we ever had in the past, updating and upgrading their kitchen became a higher priority.
Their old kitchen was small, outdated and inefficient. With very little prep space around the old cooktop, they really wanted a kitchen in which they could spread out, with enough space so more than one person could be cooking at the same time. They also wanted to upgrade their appliances, including a larger refrigerator, and wanted to make sure to include space for their small appliances.
What we did
Added much more counter space.
I really wanted to remove the old peninsula and extend the kitchen counters the entire length of the room. To do this, we had to change the window in the eating nook. We kept the width, but raised the height so we could run the cabinets underneath. I kept the sink in its current location under the original window, and put the new large cooktop underneath the new window. A downdraft (and the ability to open the window behind the stove) provides ventilation. Extending the countertop allowed me to create a very large u-shaped kitchen with an island for casual dining and additional prep space.
Made room for a larger refrigerator.
This was a big wish-list item, and I’m happy to say we were able to accommodate it. We chose to put custom panels on the doors so it would blend in with the cabinetry rather than have it stand out as a large stainless steel box. We also added a wine refrigerator on the opposite side of the kitchen.
Maximized the storage.
Because we used custom cabinetry (a must in all kitchens, in my humble opinion!) we were able to take advantage of the two corners and a funky little bumped out area left over from the previous homeowners. A lazy-susan cabinet fills the left corner, and a LeMans blind corner unit fills the right corner. An angled cabinet (perfect for pet supplies) made good use of the bumped out spot. There’s also a tall pantry cabinet, drawers in the new island, and a spice pull-out for near the cooktop.
Increased the lighting.
Pendant lights, under-cabinet lights, recessed lights, and lights inside the glass cabinets provide many options for illuminating this lovely and hard-working kitchen. There’s even a light inside the lazy-susan cabinet to make things easier to find.
Made it pretty and personal.
My client selected the stunning marble herringbone backsplash tile- it really is gorgeous!
Decorative touches like the large mirror and the open shelves add a lot of warmth and personality. There’s even a small TV that the family can watch while cooking or from the island.
The new configuration is truly a family gathering space. It allows for multiple cooks, a place to eat or do homework, and space for everything. My client tells me that everything is within very easy reach. As a designer, my favorite part is what she wrote to me at the end of the project: “We are LOVING the new kitchen! It’s so functional and pretty!” It sure is.
