Kitchen Transformation By Fiorito Interior Design: There IS Hope!

The scope of a residential interior design project can vary greatly. Sometimes small changes are requested, but quite often, very big changes are asked for (and needed). I love it when clients see one of these completely overhauled and remodeled spaces for the first time--and I love the look of delight on their faces. If they have allowed me to work with them and bring elements to the project that they otherwise might not have thought of, the end result is a delicious surprise for them (and for me too), proving that there is hope for seemingly hopeless spaces!

This kitchen remodel was one of those projects. My clients had bought a home with a very dated kitchen, and while I am sure this was a very nice space in 1974, it was not going to suit the current needs of my clients who are very active cooks.

As you can see, the length of the original kitchen was cut in two by a peninsula, creating two awkward areas. The prep/cook area was tiny by anyone's standards...a double oven, range, fridge, dishwasher, and sink were shoehorned into a little square barely big enough for one to turn around. On the other side of the peninsula was an eat-in breakfast area hogging valuable real estate. Desperate for more space, and with a large, separate, formal dining room just off the eat-in area, the only choice for my clients that made any sense was to remove the clumsy peninsula, gut the entire space, and expand the kitchen to fill the entire room. Doing so allowed me to add a second prep sink (a feature the husband loves) along with much more storage to create a true, functional gourmet kitchen.

The wooden base cabinets sport a Whiskey Black stain while the uppers have a warm cream finish. This two-tone approach allows the kitchen to seem more like a room to be lived in, more like an extension of the home, rather than just a "place to cook." If all cabinetry had been wood, it would have been much too heavy for such a large space. Granite counter tops of Juparana Persia and a glass tile back splash add a traditional yet modern feel. Over-sized floor tiles feature a decorative marble mosaic insert. All doorways were arched, slider windows were replaced with garden windows for my clients' beloved orchids, and all-new stainless steel appliances top off this extremely elegant yet casual kitchen. And finally, I did a completely new lighting plan that actually allowed my clients to see what they were doing: the original kitchen had only two lights and a faux-stained glass pendant over the table, hardly enough light by which to scramble an egg. I put in recessed spots and adjustable fixtures in the skylight so there would be light at night, along with valuable and necessary under-cabinet lighting.

We also reclaimed an adjacent laundry room (relocating the washer and dryer to the garage) for a new, luxurious butler's pantry which provides even more storage as well as a small staging area for catering.

So if you are stuck with an out of date kitchen, do not despair. With a well-designed space, there is hope. Give me a call...I'd love to help!

Thanks for reading and happy designing!