Project Highlight
Kitchen Remodel - Linworth
NARI 2006 Contractor of the Year (CotY) Regional Award Winner
Kitchens are the hubs, the centers of activity, in today’s homes. It’s where families gather for meals and, inevitably, the place every party gravitates to – whether the host likes it or not. The goals of this kitchen project included increasing the room’s functionality, lighting, seating and useable workspace. Overall a brighter, roomier kitchen was desired.
To achieve this, J.S. Brown took advantage of available space to bump out the existing kitchen wall by two feet. Removing the soffits around the cabinets now draws the eye up to the kitchen’s full nine-foot ceiling. Transom glass was added to the existing windows to offer more natural light in the room and increase views of the ravine.
The wall bump-out created an opportunity to refocus the kitchen to a new island highlighted by overhead pendant lighting. The extra two feet in the kitchen allowed for the island to be re-built with two levels—one for eating and one to be used as workspace—and still provide plenty of space for movement in the area.
The owners selected dark cherry cabinets to maintain a sophisticated and classic look in the home. With the soffits gone, taller custom cabinets were installed that reached within 8” of the ceiling. The redesign created space for three additional cherry pantry cabinets that now offer a significant increase in available storage. These pantry cabinets also serve as display cabinets for the family’s fine china and collectables accented by interior lighting.
The clients selected dark granite countertops that were complemented by a tile backsplash, which is uninterrupted by outlets. Instead, the outlets and track lighting sit under the cabinets, both hidden by a valance applied to the bottom of the cabinets. In addition, a custom garden window was built at counter level behind the sink for additional light and views. The molding added a decorative touch to the cabinets in a kitchen that is ready to serve as the hub of a busy household for years to come.
