This small suburban home is the typical small closed in kitchen layout popular in the early 1980’s. Cramped, 8ft ceilings and overhead cabintry hiding the cook from the family dining area. This client desired an updated look but was not willing to expand the footprint. She also wanted professional cooking equiptment and two ovens. It was a challenge to find the best spot for the 36 inch professional rangetop to maximize counter space but yet not place into the walk way area.

After several trial plans, we decided it was best to locate the rangetop several feet from the sink on same elevation…while close, it still gave her the room she needed to prep on the peninsula and have separate counter area to right of the sink. We placed the refrigerator, ovens, pantry storage/micro area on the long wall to keep the single cook from traversing the room and entering traffic flow as little as possible.

The client is an active single woman in her early 60’s and she does love to cook so this layout worked well for her. She also requested some decorative storage for glassware so we placed a coordinating hutch, painted and glazed along the far wall to be “out” of the kitchen area but still visible.

The countertops are a dynamic granite that the client fell in love with which necessitated changing our original design plans to include a more monochromatic glass tile for the backsplash and simple accessories. The large format of the gray/green glass tile provides an architectural burst of style without overwhelming the small space which was important as the granite takes center stage as well as the old Chicago brick floor. The soft white cabinetry is a subtle backdrop for the more vivid colors of the materials selected and the MNG knobs with a slight decorative detail gives the client a “pretty” look without being over the top.

All in all, this simple cottage remodel showcases what can be done in even the most basic small 8foot ceiling kitchen with a little imagination and style!

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