Jim & Mary's Hickory Kitchen

Jim & Mary have an 80's vintage tri-level home. Typical of homes of this era, the main floor was divided into a combined living & dining room space with segregated kitchen & entry.

The living & dining room before

The living room & entry before

View of the kitchen walls

Before:

The enclosed kitchen felt very crowded and was cumbersome to move around in. Jim & Mary wanted to explore the idea of taking out the walls, but were concerned about having enough cabinet space. Loss of a formal entry and the entry closet were also a concern.

The classic 70's & 80's oak kitchen with a dropped ceiling.

Space was very tight. This kitchen was never intended to have an island.

The sink was crammed into the corner and off-center on the window.

After:

We removed all of the walls, built a right-sized entry closet, incorporated a message center, & preserved the formal entry.  Natural hickory cabinets and floor combine to create an earthy vibe that complements the rural feel of the property with the outdoor kitchen, and back yard vineyard . Extra depth and appliance garages on the refrigerator wall allow convenient access to concealed small appliances without encroaching on vital work space.

The message center is nestled into the clipped corner on the backside of the new entry closet. The angle makes for easy, comfortable traffic flow through the space.

The integrated, extra depth appliance wall is a serious take-care-of-business work space, without looking cluttered. It accommodates a deep refrigerator, a flush-mount microwave, and all sizes of small appliances, on the countertop, plugged-in, and ready to go. It is amazing how much more often small, labor-saving, appliances get used when they are stored in this manner.

The view from the patio door.

The centerpiece island combines a range with a pop-up downdraft ventilation unit and allows cooking while conversing.  Jurassic Green granite provides a conversation-piece countertop that further enhances the earthy, outdoor-centered theme.  The matching dining room cabinetry does hutch duty, while maintaining an integrated, whole-space feel.  The increased visibility of the stairs, led to an upgrade of the stair rail to a more current style.

The view from the island encompasses the entire space in one sweep-of-the-eye. A very comfortable, livable space that will accommodate lots of friends and family.

The matching buffet keeps the look consistent and adds a serving buffet for when the crowd get's large.

The new stair rail combines maple & stainless rods for a more contemporary feel.

Client Comments:

"Warren and Kitchen Restylers were excellent. The design worked for us flawlessly and we would hardly change anything. Extremely high quality workmanship. Any issues that came up during construction were dealt with to our complete satisfaction. We are very happy with the outcome. Have a look for yourself on houzz."

Thank You Jim & Mary!