Challenges:
A late 1980's kitchen was contemporary as opposed to the current homeowner who has more traditional tastes and furnishings. The client felt that the existing sink, refrigerator, island and peninsula were too confining for the open architecture of the home. The room adjacent to the kitchen with sliding doors to the deck, grill, and backyard stood completely empty.
Solutions:
While the island and island cooktop are in the original location, a new feel was created with a raised island shelf. Acting as a backsplash for the cooking area, the shelf sits on a hollow wall that houses electrical convenience outlets. The main kitchen space opens to the family room, which is adorned with dark wood floors and furniture. The client wanted to use similar colors in the kitchen. A light-colored countertop and backsplash contrast the mahogany cabinetry finish while xenon under-cabinet lighting keeps the workspace bright.
An unused desk was converted to a refreshment center where the children can access snacks at their own refrigerated drawers near the microwave, also set low enough for user-friendly access.
The empty adjacent space was transformed into a supplementary kitchen area with small appliance, food, wine and liquor storage, a baking area and a prep room for outdoor cooking and entertaining. This auxiliary space also features butcher-block counters, a separate refrigerator/freezer, and cookbook storage. The cart transports prepped food out to the grill. Cream painted maple cabinetry distinguishes this area from the main kitchen. To unify the two kitchens, the designer used the same dark cherry from the main kitchen cabinetry for the back panel in the open cabinets, backsplash and rope molding of the cream kitchen.
Challenges:
The original 1940's kitchen was an L-shape installed before the family room addition, so there was much unused space. One of the client's requests was to make these two rooms (with different ceiling heights) flow as one large great room.
Solutions:
The designer accomplished the client's wishes by wrapping the cabinetry into the family room, incorporating unable storage and display shelving. The sink was moved from under the window and now faces the family/entertaining area. To balance off this angle, the cooking area was angled into the opposite corner. This gives plenty of prep area on each side of the cooktop to the right of the sink, and under the window. An appliance garage was added to change a typically dead area into well-needed small appliance storage.
As a finishing touch, a hutch was added opposite the kitchen, in place of a former butler's pantry. This gave the client a wine rack, glass doors and extra storage, both closed and open.
