The Challenge
Images courtesy of Central Virginia Regional Multiple Listing Service.
This husband duo recently moved to Richmond after serving at churches all across America. After winning an intense bidding war for this stunning southern colonial style home, a passion for cooking but a dated and inefficient space led to a kitchen renovation. A small galley-style kitchen was blocked by bulky appliances that were cramped together, and hindered by architectural features that couldn’t be changed. The honey toned cabinets and beige cabinets paired with a craftsman styled five-panel door made the space feel closed off. Knowing they didn’t want to change the footprint of the home, these homeowners worked with their designer, Kyle, to bring about a more functional layout and a brighter space.
The Solution
By removing the large fridge and opting for paneled refrigerator drawers on the right side of the range, the space was opened up and instantly felt larger. Because of a bump-out in the original brick wall in the kitchen, all of the cabinetry needed to be pulled a few inches away from the wall, creating a ledge on top of the countertop splash, perfect for spice storage. The bump-out also ran up the wall behind the range, which was wrapped in stainless steel, creating both a contrasting backsplash and a protector for the house’s antique brick. By pulling all of the cabinet off the wall, not only are the homeowners gaining additional storage space, but the difference between the depth of the range to the cabinets is much less noticeable, creating a more cohesive space.
The matte white cabinets add a brightness that this small space needed while the sleek simplicity is the perfect complement to the traditional home. By trading the beige countertop for a beautiful quartzite, the pass-through window to the dining room maintains the bright openness of the kitchen.
Trading out the five-panel door for a half-glass door brightened the space, and also allows the homeowners to gaze out into their garden. Another great outcome with this kitchen is that the clients’ former cabinets didn’t just go to the landfill. At Custom Kitchens, we will either donate the old cabinets to Habitat for Humanity, or, like in the case of this family, you can keep them to use in another space! This couple was able to use their old cabinets and appliances in their basement, adding storage that couldn’t be found in the existing kitchen!
See additional pictures below.
