Award-Winning Kitchen

First-Floor Remodel

A diamond in the rough. That’s what these clients saw when they found their new home. Located in a trendy and growing urban location, they knew this was where they had to live. The only problem was, the previous owner’s started their own home renovation and bit off more than they could chew. Purchasing the home in as in condition, provided the blank slate these client’s needed to transform this into the home of their dreams. Given the age of the home and the charm and character that went with it, the new homeowners wanted to blend elements of this charm with their high-end modern desires in a cohesively flowing, open floor plan.

In the main living space, the homeowners fell in love with the romanticism of the fireplace, but not the fireplace itself. They wanted the deco design turned into a more classic and timeless style, and to become a focal point where they could relax and enjoy themselves for years to come. A custom cultured stone was designed and installed on all three sides of the fireplace, and the angled design of the fireplace built out into a more traditional silhouette. A new solid wood mantle was stained by hand and is supported by large corbels, which completes the traditional style of the fireplace. For convenience and ease of use, the traditional wood burner was replaced with a gas insert.  Allowing them the comfort of a fire with the simple push of a button.

The reimagined fireplace is balanced with decorative paneled leaded glass windows on either side, the yellow woodwork updated in the classic white on white style, and the intricate pattern of the glass accents the sitting area, while subtly referencing the original time period of the home.

In addition to the window panels, character was added to the first floor with high profile baseboards and custom crown molding throughout the room. Loving the style of the old windows, but not the draft and energy loss, the tired, single pane wood windows were replaced with new energy-efficient triple-pane Marvin windows. The double grid design was replicated to keep the original character of the home present in the updated space.

The new homeowners were also concerned about lighting in their home and wanted to ensure that their space would be bright and feel open no matter if it was during the day or the dark of night. To alleviate that concern, decorative focused lighting was provided with a unique chandelier and additional general recessed lighting added to light the rest of the room. The chandelier provides not only focused lighting but also an artistic focal point of the space, while the recessed lighting ensures the entire room will be well lit.

The existing wood floors showed the wear and tear of many years of use and were removed and replaced with a more modern, wider planked oak hardwood. The flooring was then stained on-site with a custom mixed medium finish.

Though they enjoyed the novelty of the double-arched entryways, these new homeowners didn’t enjoy the way the walls divided the front half of their home. Desiring a seamless transition between spaces, the double-arched walls were removed, as well as a portion of the stairwell wall. The oak flooring was laid throughout the first floor, and a custom railing installed and stained to match. This not only joined the entryway into the home with the front two rooms but also effortlessly transitions the main floor to the second story.

Although they lost some of the original detailing of the house with the removal of the archways, they maintained the main entry arch and also continued the crown molding to further connect the spaces. A three-light chandelier adds further charm and ambiance to this entryway.

The clients fell in love with the original arched built-in china cabinets in the home’s dining room. In a marrying of past and present, the cabinets were sanded and stained a rich espresso stain. Keeping the character of the glass and arched style of the cabinets, but modernizing the color and making them pop in the space to become the feature focal point they were meant to be. The hallway between the dining room and the kitchen was opened up, in width and height, to make the two rooms feel like extensions of the same space instead of separate rooms. Continuing the client’s desire for each room to seamlessly flow into the next.

A large chandelier was added not only to provide light but also to whimsically reference the age of the home. The stain of the chandelier was designed to coordinate with the built-in china cabinets and add to the idea that the fixture was true to the era in which this home was built. Crown molding coordinates throughout the room to add character and blend the front half of the home together.

To ease the transition from the dining room to the kitchen, and also provide the desired storage space, a large custom buffet and pantry area were added to the home. A dual cabinet pantry with roll-out drawers added easily accessible storage space. The floor to ceiling design and crown molding continue to further tie the spaces together. The custom buffet becomes a functional focal point of the room by providing the desired additional storage and counter space but the under cabinet lighting, subway tile backsplash, and lighted display cabinets give the clients an area to let their personality shine through.

Although the home they purchased was half demolished, these clients weren’t intimidated. Instead, they saw the almost emptied kitchen as a blank canvas to build the kitchen of their dreams. Their dream kitchen would give them an island with extra sitting space, plenty of storage, and high-end appliances.

To accomplish these desires, the soffits were removed and custom painted maple cabinets were installed and run to the ceiling. The cabinets are topped with crown molding the coordinates with the front half of the home. A subtle detail that ties the large rooms together. To provide space for the family to gather on a daily basis, a large custom island was added to the kitchen and painted a light gray to accent the space. Topped with level two quartz and supported by large corbels, the front panels of the island coordinate with the custom panel cabinet doors. Providing the family an informal eating space to gather around and start their busy days as a family.

Since lighting was an important feature to these homeowners, pendant lighting was added over the island to balance size and add focused task lighting, under cabinet lighting was added for ambiance, and additional recessed lighting fills the rest of the room.

The balance of form and function is continued throughout the large kitchen with the addition of custom-designed locker cabinets. The symmetry of the large white buffet and coordinating large white locker cabinets not only balance the expansive space but also compensate for the lack of closet space in the room. The family plans to use this area as their main entry into the home, meaning that they needed a stylish solution to hide their everyday items. The custom piece coordinates with the cabinets and crown molding of the first floor, provides bench seating, lockers, and cubby cabinets for storing the day to day items every family needs.

By seeing past the deconstructed kitchen they purchased, these clients were able to turn the dust and demo into the kitchen of their dreams. The previously broken up space now flows seamlessly between the dining, kitchen, and new family sitting area. Allowing the family to stay close, no matter what they may be spending their time doing.

Because the family has plenty of casual and formal dining space, this allowed them to create a family area next to their large kitchen. The clients loved this idea of their kids being close while they prepared meals and allowed them to spend even more time together as a family. The large window fills the space with natural light and was updated with energy-efficient Marvin windows as well. The style and grid design was replicated from the original window and the drywall return framing finished with white molding to further connect the relaxing space with the rest of the home.

To keep the charm of the home, the first-floor powder room was updated with new Kohler fixtures, high white baseboards and painted to match the color scheme of the rest of the home.

These clients were able to look past the dust and demo of someone else’s discarded reno to see the hidden gem
this home could be. By taking the partial demolition and continuing it, they were not afraid to remove walls and open the space up to create the diamond this home could be. By blending charming details of the original home with an open and more modern floor plan, these clients were left with the home of their dreams. A space that was stylish enough to show off, but quaint enough to feel like home.