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!
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!
You can see more photographs of beautiful transitions on my Houzz page and Pinterest boards.