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Portfolio
 The clients for this kitchen remodel were anxious to begin work on their project after several failed attempts to secure a contractor. Extensive interviews revealed their definitive taste for a warm contemporary style with desperate need for improved storage, prep space, double ovens, and improved lighting. This dynamic family required an interactive and casual space to entertain friends and serve as a communal gathering place for their teenaged triplets.
Previous plans were quickly abandoned in favor of a new design that addressed every need with a few extras. The client’s flexibility allowed reconfiguration of the space to provide maximum storage while a baking center, recycling bins, buffet, and bookcases were added bonuses. Multiple work zones enable several cooks to comfortably share the space while banquette and island seating accommodates twelve guests. A curved island top contributes to the smooth circulation pattern created by opening the room up to the entry. French doors preceding recessed entry doors caused confusion when entering the house.
A defined entry was created by bumping out the entry wall flush to the front façade of the house and matching trellis. A single door with sidelight replaced solid wooden double doors and a skylight and two sconces were added to brighten the entry. The French doors were replaced with a large window and copper-faced storage banquette. An old pocket door was discovered in the exact location of the new doorway into the kitchen and visibility to the front door was created with an opening in the wall.
Clean-lined Shaker style doors in natural maple and CaesarStone Lagos Blue countertops with a reverse bevel edge set the contemporary tone against the warmth of the golden cork floors. The room was unified through the use of Lagos Blue field tiles and colored glass accent tiles in various sizes to create pops of color with the yellow tiles relating to the Nora glass pendants. A natural beech wood top crowns the functional island and provides a subtle textural contrast to the cabinetry. Simple brushed nickel pulls mimic the curve of the refrigerator handles and island top.
To combat a potentially dark corner by removing a second window on the sink wall, a tubular skylight was installed, in addition to twice as many recessed cans. Proper landing space for the sink was created by moving it from its tight corner location which allowed the creation of a “wet wall” with the LG dishwasher and KitchenAid refrigerator. A convenient broom cabinet to the left of the refrigerator fills the void created by moving the wall over to allow for the cabinetry on the adjacent run.
 The Dacor double oven, lowered-height baking center with stainless steel-lined bread drawer, and a spice cabinet replaced a wall previously occupied by the refrigerator and a utility closet converted to a pantry. The backsplash was installed to the ceiling to provide visual excitement and relate to the cabinet height.
The Zephyr hood floats over the Dacor cooktop in the island without infringing on the view from the kitchen to the Dining Room and beyond to the backyard. Drawer storage in the island houses pots below the cooktop while hot pads and cooking utensils have a new home in a four-drawer base. An infrequently used microwave was down-sized and placed in the base cabinet to the right of the cooktop. Turning the corner, a recycling unit is placed near the large pantry with easy access to the garage.
The two bookcases, corner pantry, and wine cabinet replace a diagonal wall with shallow-depth built-in bookcases, one of which hung over the stairs to the basement. The streamlined transition into the buffet was tricky; the open shelf units had to be re-templated after the adjacent cabinetry was installed. The style of a new slider to the backyard was repeated in the doors between the dining room and kitchen, pantry door, windows, and front door.
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 Talk about “Extreme Makeover!” What a treat it was to be involved in this kitchen remodel; updating from the 80’s pink, white and grey color scheme to a versatile and more style-steady neutral palette. This newly merged family boasts two food and wine connoisseurs who recognized the need to improve the function and aesthetics in this active hub of their home. The problems were many. The wall of windows above the sink limited the availability for wall cabinets, but set aside from being replaced, it was to stay. The existing island was too large for the space and did not leave the proper clearance between cabinets and appliances, forcing even the kids to squeeze by sideways. The dishwasher was tucked in a corner and unable to open properly. There was no food storage capability, which became a priority with their larger family and Costco trips. The lighting was harsh and the ventilation consisted of a monstrous dropped soffit in the middle of the room that created a cave-like feeling. Worst of all, there was nowhere to store their wine collection!
 Lucky for them, the solutions were many as well! Limited to the existing space, a corner access pantry was created to solve the food and bulk storage issues and full-depth cabinets above the refrigerator and micro/oven afforded additional storage options. A smaller island was designed as a prep and storage space without crowding the circulation pattern. A corner lazy susan provided a large storage space in the base cabinetry while moving the dishwasher to the left of the sink made the previous awkward corner functional and allowed room for a double pull-out trash bin. The larger-than-life soffit was removed and replaced with an up-light pendant above the new island. The cooking appliances were relocated next to one another while the refrigerator switched sides to be closer to the nicely lit eating area.
Knotty alder cabinets with a reddish-brown stain were installed to the ceiling for maximum storage and rich gorgeous Vicenze granite countertops extend to wrap the wall between the kitchen and new wine bar. A local carpenter carved and stained wine racks to match the new cabinetry that houses the extensive wine collection. The increased counter space allows ample room for both the casual family dinners and entertaining a larger group, as they did with their lovely wedding reception I attended a few months after completion of the project.
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 Working with a strict budget of $10,000 for materials and labor offered a unique challenge in this kitchen facelift. The layout and cabinets functioned well for the client but were enhanced with a few changes and a little elbow grease from the clients. A local carpenter matched the door style with the existing cabinets and built a new sink base, a deeper cabinet above the refrigerator, an open shelf unit, and a tall cabinet to house the phone and provide a “junk” drawer with room for twelve wine bottles below. Additional pull-outs were installed in the base cabinets, a pull-out trash was added in an existing base cabinet, and old pin hinges were replaced with concealed hinges on all the doors. The sink and dishwasher locations were flopped and a larger window was installed above the sink to gain a better view of the valley. The infrequently used microwave was relocated from above the cooktop to a shelf in the pantry, allowing space for a dramatic full-height backsplash with under-cabinet lighting above the cooking surface. The client wanted to abandon the brown palette from the original kitchen and opted for Verde Peacock granite countertops and engineered walnut flooring to provide a beautiful contrast with the cream-colored walls and cabinets.
The addition of dimmable recessed lighting in the breakfast nook provided a pleasing ambience. To complete the transformation, the nook was outfitted with an attractive portable island painted black with a rich wood top and iron stools with complementary upholstery. The client says the appealing island is now the focal point of the kitchen and serves as a communal prep space for the cook and friends alike.
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 In this small galley kitchen, an isolated and outdated space was transformed into an inviting and warm workspace for an active family of four. A more interactive space was created with a lighted arched opening between the kitchen and living room. The color-loving clients selected a two-tone palette of soft green and cheerful yellow to add a calm and friendly backdrop for the remodeled space. Worn white-washed builder-grade oak cabinetry with an outdated cathedral design was replaced with Ultracraft’s semi-custom thermofoil line in a soft cherry slab style door. Painted over laminate was cheerfully disposed of in favor of Verde Ubatuba granite and a new backsplash was laid in a straight offset pattern and unified with the countertop with random accents of matching granite tiles. The stainless steel refrigerator was relocated to the opposite wall and end from its original position, on what is now the “water wall” that includes the new stainless steel sink and dishwasher. A pull-out trash was installed between the refrigerator and dishwasher to prevent the family’s dog from overindulging in midnight snacks. The white tile floor runs throughout the house with no natural break line, so the client opted to replace this at a later date. Natural woven blinds were added in the breakfast nook and above the sink (post-photos) that add an additional textural quality and warmth to the space.
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