What you see isn’t always what you get and a kitchen in your dream house may not always have the space needed for entertaining. When Amanda and her family transferred back home from overseas and had to research and buy their house online, the photos of the kitchen didn’t capture the actual size they had to work with. Shortly after their arrival, they discovered that the “eat-in-kitchen” was a tiny, narrow room with barely enough space for one person to work, much less room for their new baby’s high chair.
Amanda loves to entertain, and missed the modern, open-space concept she’d had overseas. Fortunately, Amanda’s dream kitchen was only a sledgehammer away. Knocking out the wall that separates the kitchen and dining room is the number one way to turn a solo space into a social hub. It also creates the illusion of a bigger kitchen while staying within the footprint of the house.
To blend Amanda’s modern tastes with the traditional architecture of the house, I decided on an electric look that would merge the contrasting styles. I incorporated an island to divide the kitchen and dining area. On the Kitchen side, the island provides much needed counter space and houses the microwave and wine cooler. On the dining room side, a raised counter and bar-chair seating invite friends to lounge while Amanda cooks. To unify both spaces, I installed new pre-finished wood floors that are incredibly durable, affordable and perfect for high traffic areas.
For additional light, I replaced the existing sink window with a much larger one and swapped the old swing-in French doors in the dining room for sliding glass doors. These energy-savers are double-paned, with maintenance-free aluminum frames on the exterior and style-friendly word on the inside. The blinds are sandwiched between the glass so they never need dusting!
I then replaced all of the old cabinets withy recessed-panel cabinetry and installed them with composite quartz counters. This nonporous material is harder than stone, rendering it the number one choice when you want a countertop that resists scratching, scorching, and stains. Cabinets above the island have glass doors on both sides to allow light and views to pass through, adding to the feel of openness.
To improve the kitchen functionality, I installed a four-burner gas range with drop-down warming shelves, an ultra-quiet dishwasher, next to the larger, stainless steel sink, and fridge.
For more about my designs, find me at http://www.candiceolson.com/ or connect with me on Twitter, Facebook, Instagram and Pinterest!
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