Kitchen Case Study One

Functionality and Durability Combined with Artistic Details

(You can view the before & after photos from this case study in the right column. You can click on any photo to increase the size or view the entire slideshow)

With their growing family of five, the clients needed to make their kitchen, dining room and laundry room more functional by opening up doorways and walls to increase available living and entertaining space. They also wished to incorporate several artistic elements, including whimsical touches for the kids' storage in the laundry, carved wolf paw prints and stained glass. Durability and functionality were key priorities for all aspects of the project.

To open up the kitchen, a new beam was re-engineered to bear the load of the roof, while other walls were removed or shortened, and doorways were increased a foot in size to ease the flow of traffic. This allowed room for installation of a large kitchen island, which was raised three inches higher than normal to accommodate a dishwasher underneath, and to allow extra seating. A cappuccino machine, wine refrigerator and beverage station were also added to make the area more suitable for entertaining. A second level raised counter added extra convenience for family meals.

Kitchen materials were chosen for both aesthetic value and longevity. Cambria countertops were picked for their durability and ease of cleaning, while natural flagstone flooring was selected for its ability to endure high volumes of kid and pet traffic. A stainless steel stove hood and appliances were matched with a metallic tile backsplash to give the room a "modern" feel. Pullouts were installed in the cabinets to increase functionality and storage space. At the clients' request, stained glass was added to select cabinet doors to showcase a collection of crystal pieces stored within. The client worked directly with the glassmaker, who created a custom pattern, and then etched color into the glass, making it more durable than standard stained glass. Lights were installed inside the cabinets to illuminate the stained glass pieces, and rope lighting was strung at the top of the cabinets to allow the ceiling to be illuminated when desired.

Lighting for everyday tasks was dramatically increased in the kitchen by adding a custom S-shaped track light system that allowed suspended pendant lights over the island. After the project was finished, the clients noticed that their children were spending more time baking in the kitchen because the new island area was very user-friendly.

In the laundry room, a stacked washer and dryer were added to make more efficient use of space. Storage lockers, installed for the kids' sports equipment, were decorated in a whimsical style door pull that appealed to the children, ranging in age from 4-12 years. The clients also wished to add a unique paw print effect on the stone flooring leading in from the mudroom. Simulated wolf prints were actually carved into the flagstone tiles (10 prints on 10 separate tiles) and were laid out to look like a wolf was walking in.

With three young children in the household, many safety-minded features were included. All the corners and edges on the countertops were rounded. Hydraulic hinges were used on all cabinet doors to prevent them from being slammed on fingers.