The rest of the story ...
The homeowner purchased a modern-style ranch, built in the early 1980's, and wanted to open up the floor plan to modernize the look and feel of the home. The homeowner wanted a well-designed space that met the needs of cooking for a large, active family, in addition to space for comfortably entertaining large parties. The project was a full-scale renovation, with everything demoed at the time, and walls removed to open up the space. The house had many architectural details already in place that made for good bones. Skylights in the vaulted ceiling, where the future coffee and wine bar would go, flooded the room with natural light. There were so many great aspects to the home, it just needed a makeover and good design to be the next better version of itself.
April was presented with a challenge during the design - the homeowner is an active cook, and prepares meals for a large family of five. The homeowner did not want to use any wall cabinetry, so storage for pots, pans, dishware, etc. became an immediate challenge. Not only was the homeowner concerned about what had to go where, but the amount of needed storage quickly became an issue without a wall cabinet option. The original footprint of the kitchen was much smaller and we still needed the space to accommodate two tall wine columns and an entertaining space. The ceilings were only 8' tall and the floors were at times over an inch out of level. With the use of all black cabinetry and black tile, the team didn't want the small kitchen to feel cave-like, and instead, wanted the space to have more of a contemporary Scandinavian feel.
The homeowner loves the functionality of the kitchen, the finish, and the quality of the cabinetry. The amount of storage the team was able to accomplish, making sure every pot and pan had a home in the correct space for its purpose, made a huge difference. The space is dramatic, yet simple, and not fussy. Clean lines, clean spaces, and architectural elements completed this renovation. This was an impressive project, and one that the homeowner will enjoy for many years to come.
This home was by far one of the most dramatic kitchen spaces April has ever had the pleasure of designing. The homeowner had great design taste and a great vision, and it quickly became a beautiful reality!
Comments from our judges ...
Love the black with the blond accents. Look very beautiful together. Love the staging. Very creative waterfalls on the end!
Excellent position of appliances.