The existing kitchen in this otherwise spacious home was dated, cramped, and dark, with a narrow doorway into the family room. A 36" cook top on the 5-foot long island made cooking unwieldy, and there wasn't enough storage. A small adjoining breakfast room on one end was an also-cramped pass thru to the formal dining room, and the laundry, powder, and "bonus" room on the other end were awkward spaces with limited function. The homeowners wanted a bigger kitchen that integrated more with their family room, full bath, and better laundry and mudroom traffic flow, but hoped to avoid an addition that would require redoing the expansive patio that runs along the entire back of the house.
The first thing we did was remove the breakfast room wall, providing ample runway for the 10-foot long island. To compensate for the lost breakfast room, we designed custom legs that maximize island seating space on the back and both ends. The newly expanded exterior wall allowed for 2 glass doors onto the patio plus a much larger window that flood the kitchen with light. New walnut floors throughout beautifully compliment the cabinet colors that include charcoal stain, medium gray stain, pearl gray paint, and navy paint on the island. The "no corners" layout plus the much wider opening into the family room make traffic flow a breeze while enhancing the feeling of volume.
Finally, by rearranging the lower level, we found room for a long wall of pantry storage and a full bath tucked partially under the stairs. The combination mudroom/laundry room provides ample space for family gear and has entrances from both the garage and a side patio.
