Lake Forest Kitchen Facelift
- At February 04, 2016
- By catherineschager
- In Uncategorized
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If your 2016 New Year’s resolutions include giving your kitchen a facelift with minimal muss and fuss, here’s a great example for you. The homeowner’s wanted to achieve a major change in this Lake Forest kitchen but they didn’t want to undergo any major construction. This was our “before” kitchen:
Overall, a kitchen that had been well-maintained but was dated and had some crowded countertop issues. Now check out the gorgeous transformation we accomplished, all with minimal mess for the homeowners:
Can you spot all the changes? One of the most obvious is the island. Here’s a closeup of the original:
Compare that to this functional new beauty!
A butcherblock countertop has an overhang with seating for three. And notice the kitchen countertop in the background – no more microwave to take up space. The stunning new island cabinetry includes a microwave drawer that cleared up valuable work space. A system of deep drawers allows for more functional storage too.
A new hood was an easy install that brings a cleaner, brighter look to the cooktop. And did you notice the update backsplash throughout? This elegant tile is a mixture of glass, ceramic, and onyx that glitters and shines.
An updated sink and faucet nestle snugly into a bright new perimeter countertop. This countertop is quartz with marble look, so it offers the beauty of marble but it is more durable and won’t stain like marble will.
Beautiful, updated lighting, new paint, and a new valance round out the major changes to this sparkling fresh kitchen. Let us know what you think on our facebook page.
Transitions
Spring and summer are times of transition. We transition from the cold weather, begin to transition out of school and go on our summer holidays or work schedules. It’s a time of weddings, graduations, and a time when your home is a place of respite, retreat, and a welcoming place to return to. Recently, we transitioned two kitchens into homeowner’s favorite places!
Our first kitchen, in Highland Park, IL, was a face-lift for an existing space. The kitchen was well thought out, worked well for the client and the basic structure of the cabinetry was good. The clients also wanted to keep their existing countertop and backsplash. We suggested replacing the doors and drawer fronts with wood and “re-skinning” the outside of the cabinets to match (a veneer that matches the wood and finish of the doors is applied with adhesive to all external visible areas of the cabinetry). The client chose to replace the floor with a large-scaled porcelain floor, removed the old exhaust fan and replaced it with a canopy style metal hood and ceramic tile to fill in the space left by the old cabinet. We partnered with Callahan and Peters – remodelers and contractors who provided their expertise in the cabinetry and installation, including building a new custom bookcase for the client. The clients love their “new” kitchen and feel like it’s a totally different space!
“Before” Kitchen in Highland Park
“After” Kitchen in Highland Park
Our second kitchen transition in Glenview, IL was a total re-hab of a poorly designed condo kitchen that didn’t function well at all. We suggested removing a wall between the dining and living room which made the kitchen so much more spacious and allowed us to put in a great island. By covering up an existing awkward pantry cabinet and re-configuring the lay-out to allow the client a functional pantry, tons of storage space and a better work flow were created. The client selected quartz countertops from Cambria and used two different patterns. The perimeter countertop has the look of Carrera marble with none of the upkeep, and the island incorporates deeper shades of gray and blue for a more dramatic look. Our client loves sitting for coffee at the island and reading or using her computer. She also loves the clean look and most of all, her pull-out trash!
“Before” Kitchen in Glenview
“After” Kitchen in Glenview
You can see more photographs of beautiful transitions on my Houzz page and Pinterest boards.
Creating Your Dream Kitchen – Part 2
First of all- I hope you all had a wonderful Labor Day weekend. It sort of signals the end of summer no matter what the weather. Everyone begins to focus on fall activities and holidays. Happy New Year to all my Jewish friends and family! We start to think about spending more time indoors- perfect timing for creating that dream kitchen!
In part 1 we discussed thinking about how everything in the kitchen works together and assessing what doesn’t work and why. Today we’ll look at what you do in the kitchen, how you do it, and we’ll make some lists.
First, let’s look at kitchen activities. In your kitchen, do you:
- Socialize? Does everyone usually end up in your kitchen?
- Cook frequently or infrequently?
- Is there generally one cook or does more than one person share cooking tasks? Do you cook together or take turns?
- Use the computer- to look up recipies, or just in general?
- Watch TV?
- Have an eating area, or do you go elsewhere to eat?
- Have to keep cell phone chargers?
- Pay bills, or do other desk work?
Now let’s think about how you cook.
- Do you use your microwave often?
- Do you cook more frequently on your range/cooktop?
- Do you bake or broil often?
- Do you use a steamer?
- Do you often cook for a crowd, or for small groups?
- Do you have caterers bring in food, or do you prepare the food yourself and just have serving help?
Now for the lists (the fun stuff!) First list; all the must-haves.
- Fridge (obviously)
- cooktop or range
- sink
- garbage disposal
- trash storage
- oven(s)
- microwave
- you get the idea!
Next list; your dream kichen would have….
- steamer?
- warming drawer?
- wine cooler?
- wine storage?
- larger refrigerator?
- more than one oven?
- more than one dishwasher?
- a second sink?
- this is the time to dream big! What would you really enjoy using or what would make your preparation easier? Put it down! If you know what you’d like, you can find ways to fit them in.
The more you think about the possibilities, and what you’d really like to have, the better- remember you don’t remodel your kitchen often so it’s best to do a lot of planning beforehand. If I were planning a new kitchen today I would look into induction cooking, and would choose a French-door refrigerator. What are your dreams for your kitchen?
Could this be your dream kitchen?
Creating Your Dream Kitchen Part 1
I recently spoke to some people who are planning to re-do their kitchen, so I naturally thought it would be a good topic to talk about here. Kitchen and bath remodels are the best investments that you can make in your home- both for your own comfort and the added resale value that they bring.
So, just how does one go about creating this dream kitchen? It starts with identifying the areas in your kitchen that are frustrating because they don’t work correctly or make things more difficult for you. You might think about traffic flow- does your kitchen allow for good flow, or are people always bumping into each other? In our kitchen (pre-remodel, of course) some genius decided that the best place for the refrigerator was right smack-dab in the main traffic pattern through the kitchen! Not great for people moving through the space, or a busy cook trying to get to food in the fridge.
How about storage? Do you have enough of that? (Does anyone, ever?) When you open your cabinets do you need to practically empty them if you want to find one thing?
Then there’s counter and work space- how’s that working for you? Do you have to lug all of your recipe ingredients someplace far away from the sink and the fridge- and the trash can?
Does your kitchen look like this?
How about your cooktop/stove, sink, dishwasher and fridge? Are they older than the hills? What about their placement to each other? If you want to fill a pot with water, do you have to walk far from the sink to the cooking area? Does it cross a major traffic pattern?
What about those small appliances- toaster (or toaster oven), microwave, mixer, blender, food processor, etc. Where are they and are they convenient and neat- or just all over your counters?
Taking the time to really identify what doesn’t work in your kitchen is the first step in creating a beautiful, functional new space. Sometimes, you know immediately why it doesn’t work, and sometimes you’re just so used to dealing with it the way it is that you don’t even think about it. If it’s really hard to identify what could be better, try a little outline of the steps needed to create one of your favorite recipes; let’s say brownies.
Ok, for those of you who use a pre-made mix, this’ll probably be somewhat easier.
- Step 1. Assemble your ingredients:
- eggs, butter, flour, vanilla, chocolate, sugar, salt, baking powder or soda (depending upon your recipe!)
- Step 2. Assemble the necessary utensils:
- mixing bowl, spoons, measuring spoons and cups, spatula, baking pan, double boiler (if melting chocolate)
Ok, now how much time did it take to find and corral all this stuff? Was it more time than it’s worth? Hmm, that might mean that your storage areas don’t work together well. How long would it take you to get everything back to where it belongs? These are the things to think about when planning out that dream kitchen!
What’s your main kitchen complaint?
What do you think of this work space?
Bewitchin’ Kitchen
Today we’re going to take a little break from the design project diary. We’re almost finished there, which is kind of bittersweet. It always feels good to finish up and see the completed project but kinda sad to have to say goodbye for now to the client. Especially the ones that are fun to work with.
The friend of a friend called me and asked if I’d take a look at her kitchen and offer some advice on a space that has been challenging to work with. There’s a rather large gap between her upper cabinets and the corner. I’m not really sure what the original intent was for that space, but can understand why it is a challenge. Your attention is drawn to the vacant space because your mind wants to fill it and link those cabinets to each other. As there isn’t anything there it’s unsettling and appears unfinished.
Challenging kitchen space
I’ve come up with three options for the space which will connect the two cabinet runs together and make the space more interesting.
Option 1: This one is the least expensive option, but done right it could be kinda cool. Find a paint color that is darker than the wall color, but lighter than the cabinet color. There’s a whole range of colors to work with but what we’re looking for is an accent color. Paint the corner space between the rows of cabinets in that color. Paint only the space from the top of the cabinet to the bottom of the cabinet- in other words, you’re completing the cabinet runs visually. In this space, you can hang some cool artwork, or decorative plates or something like that. For repetition, use the accent paint color on another wall in the kitchen- just not either one of the walls in the picture. You can pick up random decorative plates at places like Pier 1, and Home Goods for very little money. Once you’ve collected them, lay them out on your table or an area that’s marked off to be the same size as what you’re working with and arrange the plates to your liking. Take a picture of them and then use that to guide you when you put them on the wall.
Decorative plates
Option 2: Install some stainless steel or metal shelving in the space. You’ll need at least two shelves, and put them so that they fall between the top and bottom of the cabinet. Again, you’re visually connecting the space between the cabinet runs. Use the shelves for decorative items such as vases, decorative bowls, cups, etc. Not an inexpensive option, but one that allows for some additional storage.
stainless steel shelving
These would also require that you size them as close to filling up the space as possible. If you’re using the type of shelving shown here, you could probably get away with just one row instead of two. You would need to have one shelf on each wall and you’d have to make sure they line up at the corner. I found this one online at www.kitchensource.com
Option 3: Find some decorative mirrors that are similar in height to the cabinets and are nicely framed. The closer they can be to the width of the wall space, the better. Place them so that their frames touch in the corner, creating a sort of window in the space. It’s a little “fool the eye” trick. Again, you can find interesting mirrors at places like Pier 1, Home Goods, World Market and many places online. I went to Ballard Designs www.ballarddesigns.com for these.
Mirror that looks like a window
Another option for window-like mirrors
I’d love to hear other ideas and have you vote on which of these the client should adopt!
