Working within the home’s existing footprint, Ernst engaged in some resourceful thievery, robbing a mere two feet from adjoining garage. The added square footage made all the difference, enabling Ernst to create a warm and welcoming hub for the family’s activities that is both efficient and spacious.

By enlarging the passage between the dining room and kitchen and installing a window in the new mudroom, the kitchen is now bathed in natural light. Painted inset floor-to-ceiling perimeter cabinetry, anchored by the mahogany island and sanded-in-place oak flooring, creates an inviting transitional-style space. Elegant Hudson Valley lighting in glass and polished nickel, Taj Mahal quartzite countertops and a mosaic backsplash tile enhance the clean lines and bright openness of the room.

Ernst also added a handsome mahogany floor-to-ceiling bar – a dramatic counterpoint to the kitchen’s island- in the passageway between the dining and kitchen areas.