Blacksburg, Virginia
These clients wanted a moderate renovation of their kitchen. The kitchen was central to their family life, and they wanted to open it up, update finishes and furnishings, create a more open space and resolve some nagging problems.
Before
The wall separating the dining room and kitchen had always created two cramped rooms, of which the dining room was rarely used. The location of the refrigerator being just at the top of a short stairway had always blocked traffic flow when the door was open, and the adjacent cupboards and small counter had always been inefficient and rarely used. There was also a constant issue of the trash can and inefficient recycle systems.
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- The original refrigerator configuration can be seen in the background.
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- Wall demolition
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- Transition between oak flooring in the dining room and linoleum in kitchen.
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- After demolition: Small segments of the original wall are to be retained so as to avoid an expensive rework to blend the various finishes, including the textured ceiling in the dining room.
After
The opened space created much more room for family gatherings, and a nice flow from the living to the kitchen spaces. New wood flooring was installed, the cabinets were of good quality so they just got updated with a good paint job and fitted with new satin nickel hardware. New custom counter tops in a dark grey complement the new stainless steel appliances. All new under-cabinet LED lighting as well as dimmable LED recessed ceiling lighting give the space two more layers of light control. In order to re-purpose the space originally used by the top of the refrigerator I built a simple microwave nook and cutting board slot to improve counter space. This is located over a new custom cabinet we had built to match the originals. Inside it is an internally sealed compartment which houses twin slide out trash and recycle bins. All of this also serves as a well enjoyed coffee bar and pushes the refrigerator closer into a perfect triangle with the stove and sink. An added bonus is that traffic at the stairs is no longer blocked when the refrigerator door is open.
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- The refrigerator was moved from its position at the head of the steps and new custom cabinetry installed.
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- The microwave cubby and coffee station are favorites in this new kitchen.
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- LED under-cabinet lighting provides beautiful, energy-efficient task-lighting.
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- The new dark countertops offset the new cream cabinets.
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- Most days would not see this configuration but the space can seat 14 people at one time now.
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- Preservation Wood Sales, in Floyd made the custom tables with metal legs. Tables can be configured as a single for daily use and doubled up for larger groups.