Before & After
By Jeannie Matteucci
Before & After 1
After living in their Skokie, Illinois, ranch home for 24 years, the time was finally right for Larry and Anita Brown to improve their outdated kitchen. "It became impossible to cook there. I had no counter space and a tiny cooktop where you could hardly put two large pans together." The couple turned to Rick Glickman, president of Dream Kitchens, Inc., also of Skokie, to help them design a more welcoming space. "They wanted to update, improve function and add more storages," says Glickman.
One of the key decisions was to widen a door between the kitchen and the dining room. New 36-inch-high maple cabinets with Shaker-style doors feature stainless steel hardware that mimics the handles on the kitchen's new appliances. "The cabinets have clean lines," adds Glickman. "If you made them too ornate, it could make the kitchen seem crowded." A new L-shaped eating bar, gray-and-beige solid-surface countertops and a porcelain tile backsplash perk up the space. "It's more open, more spacious and user-friendly," says Anita.
Before & After 2
Practicality was a big issue with the outdated kitchen in a bilevel, 1960s-era home. "There was a small space between the sink and the stove," recalls Rick Glickman, "and there was almost no room. This was a difficult layout." To help improve the function of the room, a wall behind the stove was removed and a pass-through was created to the dining room. "This allowed us to open up the space and give a pretty view of the fireplace from the kitchen," says Glickman.
Another important change was placing the kitchen sink in a diagonal corner to open up more counter space on each side. Storage was improved with the addition of Italian cabinets with a ginger maple and auburn patina finish, some with raised panels and glass fronts for visual interest. All of the new appliances are stainless steel. "It's a modern house, so we wanted to add some contemporary elements," explains Glickman. "And by spreading out the appliances just a bit more, we were able to add more workspace," adds Glickman. A stained oak floor and a decorative ceiling fixture with an antique, oil-rubbed bronze finish contribute to the kitchen's new rich look.
Before & After 3
When Jeff and Shelley Shinn first purchased their hillside Rockford, Illinois, home in 1983, they completed a minor kitchen remodel by adding a coat of paint to the walls and sanding the floor. Many years later, they decided it was time to make more major changes. "My appliances were old," says Shelley. "The stove just didn't work. We wanted to add new things and set out a new layout." Avid cooks, the Shinns asked Rick Glickman to give them a stylish room with all of the modern amenities.
Adding new appliances that allowed the couple to cook and entertain with ease was an essential step. Jeff and Shelley now enjoy a commercial-style cooktop with a stainless steel backsplash that features a condiment and spice rack. A warming drawer, two separate ovens and a large commercial-style refrigerator are a few of the other appliance upgrades. Refinishing their existing redwood floor helped the couple keep the budget in check. "It's an extremely unusual wood that you could never replace," points out Shelley. "It would be a crime to remove it." Improved lighting and attractive granite countertops with black and gray tones were two of the other changes made. "We spend so much time in there now," reports Shelley.
