This home was a great example of an outdated, dark, closed-off structure that needed a little TLC. The homeowners moved in to this home over 25 years ago, and while it was well maintained, it was clear it needed some updates. Unneeded walls that got in the way and interrupted the flow of the house separated each room and made the rooms seem isolated. The frustrated couple decided it was time for a change in their home. They wanted to update their kitchen cabinets while making the kitchen more efficient, and to improve the bathrooms. These updates took the house from dark and outdated to the lively, more bright and vibrant home it is today.
As seen in the before photos, the dining room and kitchen were separate rooms. This disrupted the flow of this space making entertaining more difficult. We started by removing two walls to open up the main living areas of the home to not only add functionality, but to give the appearance of a much larger yet comfortable footprint. The first wall to be demoed was the wall between the kitchen and the formal dining room. In doing so, we were able to expand the kitchen to provide a more efficient floor plan as well as an island, which allowed for more practicality, counter space and storage. By removing that wall, we were able to add cabinets and in the dining room as well to house fine dishes and collectibles, which tied both rooms together well. This allowed for the disposal of a china cabinet that used to disturb the walkway around the table. The granite countertops, custom backsplash and new paint scheme really added life to the kitchen, which lacked in the original design.
The second wall to be removed was the one standing between the dining room and living room. Again, this allowed for a more functional space and made the house more simplistic and modern. In the family room we removed the old outdated brick on the fireplace and replaced it with 12”x24” porcelain tile. This elegant tile gave height to the room and made it into the focal point that it deserved to be. Along with the beautiful tile, we designed a custom wood mantel and a new modern fireplace door was added to give it the “spark” it needed to push it over the top. Lastly to link all three rooms together, we added wood flooring to the kitchen, dining room and living room to make it feel as one.
The owners could not be happier with their transformed space. It gave them the functionality and practicality they needed to feel comfortable in their own home. Overall, they are beyond pleased with the amount of work that was done to make their once outdated home into their current dream home. The footprint of the home stayed the same and the bones of the house gave a great canvas in which to design off of. This job was fun for both us as the designers and for the homeowners to see their home as it once was to how it is now.