Dream Kitchen & Main Living

We recently completed a project in the Fircrest area. Our first meeting onsite showed a very outdated, 1970’s kitchen. It was only accessible through a hallway from the entrance and a small walkway from the dining room. The house was large, yet felt small because of all the compartmentalized spaces. The pantry was very small and not extremely functional. 

Collaborating with our clients, we designed a plan to open the wall that divided the kitchen from the dining room and create a large peninsula that accommodates both seating and cooking counter space. When we looked at the flow from there, they had vaulted ceilings with large beams and cedar planks, and the dining from the main living was partially divided by partial walls. Discussing removal of that division point presented some challenges that were not easy to completely eliminate within a reasonable budget. The ceiling beams above would have some effects as well as the end of the slate stone fireplace and hearth. 

On one side of that space, the partial wall butted up to the large slate fireplace and hearth. If we removed the wall, replicating the slate would have been difficult and not likely seamless. On the other side the partial wall went to the ceiling in such a way that removal would tamper with the ceiling beam and necessitate a custom repair to appear as if the wall never existed.

To remedy the fireplace wall removal, our strategy would include a return around the fireplace that would connect the mantle in an L-shape. On the backside of this small return wall, we wanted to make it look intentional and added a completely custom made display cabinet to match the mantle. We put glass shelves inside and enclosed it with a glass door. On the opposite wall removal, we decided that painting all of the ceiling beams fresh with a dark espresso paint would refresh them and hide the fact a wall had ever been removed.

In the entryway walking into the kitchen there had been a closet that served little purpose that took up space inside the pantry behind it. We flipped that closet, dry walled the original entrance and gave the footage to the pantry to enlarge it. We were able to enlarge the walkway into the pantry, add some space, and create a coffee bar on quartz countertop over cabinets for storage. On the opposite side, we put in organizing shelving for maximized storage. 

In the kitchen, we kept the original footprint of the sink in the corner windows, but we moved the stove and hood fan over to the right of the sink and we extended the line of the kitchen cabinets to the right to shift the refrigerator farther down the line and keep a more spacious feel. Under another window to the right of the refrigerator, we designed a custom seating/desk space by extending the quartz countertop along the window framed underneath with a bay of drawers to the left and right. Two stools fit in perfectly for a homework station. And in the event of entertaining those stools could be removed and that can be a perfect food display area. 

Another beautiful touch to the kitchen was custom floating shelves stained the same as the mantle and the display cabinet which are now visible from the kitchen as a result of wall removal. Also, all lighting was changed to updated fixtures and we added some canned lighting to the main living as well as the kitchen. The flooring was changed from multiple different varieties to a continuous luxury vinyl plank. Instead of a microwave overhead or on the counter, we installed one under the counter that slides open like a drawer. Every appliance was updated. The sink and faucet were also replaced.

The dramatic transformation turned out magnificent. The main living spaces are now completely open and spacious with a beautiful flow.