Kitchen of the Week: Ready for Some Serious Cooking
Restaurant owners remodel and open up their kitchen and living spaces for entertaining
Kitchen (Before)
Problems: The existing kitchen and surrounding spaces, which included the family room, dining room and formal living room, all felt dark and tight, with an awkward, closed-off flow. The kitchen had limited counter space, shallow pantry cabinets and an awkward peninsula. In addition, a screened-in porch that the family rarely used limited the amount of natural light reaching the kitchen. (They have another screened-in porch on the front of the house.)
Must-haves: The homeowners wanted to get more natural light into the kitchen. They also wanted it to have an efficient work flow, better storage, professional appliances and some serious butcher-block prep space. Since there was going to be construction anyway, they also wanted to freshen up their floor plan by opening up the first floor.
Problems: The existing kitchen and surrounding spaces, which included the family room, dining room and formal living room, all felt dark and tight, with an awkward, closed-off flow. The kitchen had limited counter space, shallow pantry cabinets and an awkward peninsula. In addition, a screened-in porch that the family rarely used limited the amount of natural light reaching the kitchen. (They have another screened-in porch on the front of the house.)
Must-haves: The homeowners wanted to get more natural light into the kitchen. They also wanted it to have an efficient work flow, better storage, professional appliances and some serious butcher-block prep space. Since there was going to be construction anyway, they also wanted to freshen up their floor plan by opening up the first floor.
Before: The screened-in porch (behind the TV wall) cut off the kitchen from the great room. To help orient yourself for the “After” photos, keep in mind that the new wall of glass will line up with those French doors on the left, all the way across the back of the house.
Solutions: “To achieve the most optimal overall transformation, we knew that the screened-in porch had to go,” Dupes says. This added 100 square feet to the footprint and made a big impact in other ways — especially in terms of natural light, which the designer made the most of by covering the 22-foot-long south-facing wall in lots of glass. This includes French doors with fixed sidelights, a triple casement window at the new sink location and transom windows.
The addition also completely opened up the great room and kitchen to each other, giving the homeowners the open plan they wanted.
Wall paint: Agreeable Gray SW 7029, Sherwin-Williams; windows and doors: Pella
The addition also completely opened up the great room and kitchen to each other, giving the homeowners the open plan they wanted.
Wall paint: Agreeable Gray SW 7029, Sherwin-Williams; windows and doors: Pella
Exterior (Before)
Here you can see the kitchen-darkening porch on the left. The back facade of the house was a bit of a hodgepodge, especially the roofline. The second story was an earlier addition.
Here you can see the kitchen-darkening porch on the left. The back facade of the house was a bit of a hodgepodge, especially the roofline. The second story was an earlier addition.
Exterior (After)
Now the back of the home has a more cohesive look. And new landscaping makes the patio more inviting.
The part we need to look at here is the roof above and around the former screened-in porch. The second-story addition sat above and was supported in part by the two exterior walls that comprised the corner of the porch. With that corner gone, it was necessary to maintain the structural integrity of the home and create a pleasing look for the new ceiling.
Now the back of the home has a more cohesive look. And new landscaping makes the patio more inviting.
The part we need to look at here is the roof above and around the former screened-in porch. The second-story addition sat above and was supported in part by the two exterior walls that comprised the corner of the porch. With that corner gone, it was necessary to maintain the structural integrity of the home and create a pleasing look for the new ceiling.
The structural requirements: “The exact placement of the second story was fortuitous for us as it was set back enough from the rear and west side exterior walls that we could create an L-shaped vaulted ceiling perimeter with a tongue-and-groove wood ceiling and skylights,” Dupes says. “Because the new structural laminated veneer lumber (LVL) needed to support the existing second floor and would be exposed at the vaulted area, we wrapped it in wood and added three faux beams in rhythm for a cohesive look.”
Skylights: curb-mounted, clear glass, aluminum clad, Velux
Skylights: curb-mounted, clear glass, aluminum clad, Velux
They also wrapped these two structural columns with pleasing millwork and notched them into the island’s butcher-block top. These moves all integrated the structural requirements as architectural features.
The layout: The kitchen has a classic work triangle and a social zone, separated by the island. “We needed the kitchen to have a lot of surface area and storage options while still maintaining an efficient work flow,” Dupes says. “So we opted for a prep sink in the island to keep steps between the range, refrigerator and a water source to a minimum.”
The layout: The kitchen has a classic work triangle and a social zone, separated by the island. “We needed the kitchen to have a lot of surface area and storage options while still maintaining an efficient work flow,” Dupes says. “So we opted for a prep sink in the island to keep steps between the range, refrigerator and a water source to a minimum.”
Floor Plan (After)
Worth noting are the roofline, the new entrance to the dining room, the wide-open feeling between the family room and kitchen and the placement of the island. There is also a wider opening between the dining room and the living room, and the space under the stairs was utilized for pantry cabinets and a stackable washer-dryer.
Worth noting are the roofline, the new entrance to the dining room, the wide-open feeling between the family room and kitchen and the placement of the island. There is also a wider opening between the dining room and the living room, and the space under the stairs was utilized for pantry cabinets and a stackable washer-dryer.
The island: Butcher block was a must-have for these homeowners, who love to cook. Because this is a prep area, it includes the sink and is specially outfitted with features like this spice drawer.
The island’s cabinets have the same front styles and hardware as the perimeter cabinets, but the subtle gray finish differentiates them.
Cabinet finish: Cashmere with Shadow glaze, Dura Supreme Cabinetry; browse kitchen drawer organizers
The island’s cabinets have the same front styles and hardware as the perimeter cabinets, but the subtle gray finish differentiates them.
Cabinet finish: Cashmere with Shadow glaze, Dura Supreme Cabinetry; browse kitchen drawer organizers
Countertops: Durable quartz with a marble-like look was used.
Backsplash: A polished ceramic tile brings in color. The elongated dimensions update the classic subway look.
The homeowners’ great idea: Outlets are tucked below cabinets for an uninterrupted backsplash.
Counters: 3-centimeter Aria quartz, Viatera; backsplash: Lancaster 3-by-12-inch in Celery, TileBar
Backsplash: A polished ceramic tile brings in color. The elongated dimensions update the classic subway look.
The homeowners’ great idea: Outlets are tucked below cabinets for an uninterrupted backsplash.
Counters: 3-centimeter Aria quartz, Viatera; backsplash: Lancaster 3-by-12-inch in Celery, TileBar
Cabinets: The cabinets are classic enough to fit in with the older home, but their clean lines are also fresh and modern.
Cabinets: Homestead Panel in Maple in Linen White finish, Dura Supreme Cabinetry; cabinet hardware: Top Knobs; find modern metal hardware
Cabinets: Homestead Panel in Maple in Linen White finish, Dura Supreme Cabinetry; cabinet hardware: Top Knobs; find modern metal hardware
Bar: This area past the refrigerator leads into the dining room. The designer set it up as a pseudo butler’s pantry so it can easily serve both the kitchen and dining room. It can also become a bar when the couple are entertaining since it includes a wine refrigerator and barware. The opposite side of the room, which is out of view, includes pantry cabinets and the laundry area.
Here you can see how the pseudo butler’s pantry serves the dining room.
Wall (eggshell finish) and trim (semigloss finish) paint: Incredible White SW7028, Sherwin-Williams
Wall (eggshell finish) and trim (semigloss finish) paint: Incredible White SW7028, Sherwin-Williams
Before: Another part of the project involved getting rid of this archway between the living room and dining room.
The designer replaced it with a cased opening that is more in line with the home’s style. Now the couple’s home has an easy, open flow that works well for the way they live and entertain.
More
See more Kitchens of the Week
Find a kitchen designer near you
More
See more Kitchens of the Week
Find a kitchen designer near you
Kitchen at a Glance
Who lives here: A couple who own restaurants and have a son in college
Location: Atlanta
Size: Existing kitchen was 180 square feet (16.7 square meters); after renovation it’s 255 square feet (23.7 square meters)
Designer: Jaime Dupes of Renewal Design-Build
The backstory: “With a son moving out to go to college, the homeowners wanted to be able to entertain more and felt the current first floor was not ‘public’ enough for that,” designer Jaime Dupes says. They wanted to open up the main public areas on that floor and lighten up their dark kitchen.
“As culinary aficionados in the restaurant business, they wanted a kitchen that worked like a commercial kitchen but had the warmth and human touch worthy of a family home,” Dupes says. This included more counter space, a suitable butcher-block prep area, more storage and casual seating.
Scope of the work: The renovation included a rear addition of about 100 square feet. This enabled the family room to be further opened up to the kitchen, letting in more light. The living room and dining room were also opened to each other, and all of the floors were refinished.