NARI CotY 2009 Regional Winner

After the initial meeting with the clients, it was evident that the kitchen was badly in need of an update. The last time the kitchen was remodeled was in the 70’s and they wanted the new kitchen to include more storage and a more efficient layout. Doors were falling off the cabinets and there were numerous plumbing leaks. They did not have enough cabinet or countertop space and the kitchen was closed off from other living areas.

We proposed adding an island to improve the efficiency and allow a work surface and staging area close to all work areas. The small size of the kitchen limited the size of the island so we proposed to build the island out of steel pipe with a kidney-shaped counter top to minimize the bulk of the island while still providing maximum functionality.

To open up the kitchen, we removed all doors and replaced them with wider arched openings. We widened the old pass-through to the den by removing an inefficient pantry and added a bar top to tie the two rooms together. We also created space for a wine bar and desk workstation by removing a water heater at the far end of the old kitchen.

By incorporating the island, we were able to position a work surface no further than four feet from any point in the kitchen. It also allowed traffic to flow around the sink and range, reducing choke points.

We were able to add fourteen linear feet of countertop by adding the island, eliminating the built-in pantry and relocating the water heater. We more than doubled the amount of cabinet storage space.

The wine bar was designed to keep hard liquor out of the reach of the children and in one location. We eliminated the possibility of carbon monoxide entering living spaces by removing the gas water heater and replacing with a tankless unit in the attic.

The owners contemplated the possibility of repairing the original cabinets to save money and reduce waste. We suggested a line of lyptus cabinets we carry and showed them the green benefits of using a fast, renewable hardwood.

We improved illumination by locating new can lights over main work areas for general lighting, adding decorative pendent fixtures to provide accent lighting, and adding under-counter zenon task lights for illuminating food preparation areas.

We achieved repetition in the design by using arches in multiple locations; over the two doorways, the ceiling over the range, the elliptical accents on the pot rack, the curved island, and the arched valance over the wine bar. The straight lines of the long horizontal backsplash tiles and “metro” door style on the cabinetry contrast the arches. The clean look of the cabinets is accentuated by the full-inset door & drawer styles and the 14-inch long pulls. The blue pearl granite countertops balance with the glass backsplash. We repeated stainless steel in the appliances, pot rack, island, cabinet pulls, sink & fixtures and the lights.

 Although the island and pot rack were originally designed to be fabricated out of heavy galvanized threaded pipe, we decided to have the look of heavy flanged pipe but fabricate them out of machined stainless. We felt this would be more in keeping with the contemporary look of the rest of the kitchen.

We allowed for easy movement around the kitchen by building the support for the irregularly shaped island out of a stainless frame rather than a bulky base cabinet. The wide flanges kept the base more firmly attached to the floor than could have been achieved using a traditional cabinet unit.