Kitchen of the Week
Kitchen Makeovers
Kitchen of the Week: An Awkward Layout Makes Way for Modern Living
An improved plan and a fresh new look update this family kitchen for daily life and entertaining
Christopher and Katie Conti loved being able to walk to restaurants and shops near their 100-year-old English farmhouse in Birmingham, Michigan. But walking through the kitchen was much less thrilling. A bulky reach-in pantry disrupted traffic flow, while a powder room took up additional prime floor space. Plus, floral wallpaper, distressed knotty pine cabinets and hard-to-clean clay tile counters didn’t suit the owners’ tastes.
Working with kitchen designer Christine Ramaekers, the couple relocated the powder room to allow room for a central island and updated the style to better reflect their lifestyle.
Working with kitchen designer Christine Ramaekers, the couple relocated the powder room to allow room for a central island and updated the style to better reflect their lifestyle.
AFTER: Ramaekers relocated the powder room closer to the foyer to create a more welcoming entry and give the couple their No. 1 request: a large island made for gathering. She then removed the old reach-in pantry and walkway to the butler’s pantry, and moved the entry into the dining room to allow space for a new walkway and larger walk-in pantry. “When we would visit friends, we were struck by the homes with islands that would feel comfortable and inviting, and we always wanted to have that,” Katie says. “The side bonus is that it’s also wonderful for cooking prep.”
A 2-inch-thick Caesarstone Frosty Carrina countertop with mitered edge tops the island, while panels on the side lend definition. The smoky espresso finish with onyx glaze complements the soft and warm color palette. Katie found the industrial-style metal and wood stools online and had them reglazed and hand-finished so they would coordinate with the island and floor.
Paint by Benjamin Moore: Bruton White in eggshell finish (walls), Eider White in semigloss finish (trim); Elder White in flat finish (ceiling); 27-inch Hazelton stainless steel farmhouse sink: Signature Hardware; Wave 306001 single-lever kitchen sink faucet: Julien; stools: AllModern
A 2-inch-thick Caesarstone Frosty Carrina countertop with mitered edge tops the island, while panels on the side lend definition. The smoky espresso finish with onyx glaze complements the soft and warm color palette. Katie found the industrial-style metal and wood stools online and had them reglazed and hand-finished so they would coordinate with the island and floor.
Paint by Benjamin Moore: Bruton White in eggshell finish (walls), Eider White in semigloss finish (trim); Elder White in flat finish (ceiling); 27-inch Hazelton stainless steel farmhouse sink: Signature Hardware; Wave 306001 single-lever kitchen sink faucet: Julien; stools: AllModern
Katie and Ramaekers considered going with shade pendants over the island, but knew that a pair of crystal chandeliers would give the kitchen sparkle and the touch of glam Katie wanted for contrast with the more rustic elements. “I love the crystal element in this kitchen,” Ramaekers says. “It adds a fun and pretty aspect to the room. If we chose something too simple, the kitchen would just fade away.”
The cooking zone features a 48-inch, six-burner dual-fuel range with two ovens. “I love that this particular range has a small oven,” Katie says. “It’s perfect for our family of three.”
A stainless apron on the industrial-style vent hood above instead of wood keeps the kitchen from being too dark and heavy.
Crystal chandeliers: Elegant Lighting; 36-inch stainless refrigerator and range: Sub-Zero and Wolf; range hood: Best Range Hoods; pot filler: Waterstone Faucets; concealed dishwasher: Bosch
The cooking zone features a 48-inch, six-burner dual-fuel range with two ovens. “I love that this particular range has a small oven,” Katie says. “It’s perfect for our family of three.”
A stainless apron on the industrial-style vent hood above instead of wood keeps the kitchen from being too dark and heavy.
Crystal chandeliers: Elegant Lighting; 36-inch stainless refrigerator and range: Sub-Zero and Wolf; range hood: Best Range Hoods; pot filler: Waterstone Faucets; concealed dishwasher: Bosch
The oak floors throughout the first level of the home were refinished with an ebony stain and a satin finish to offer a rich look and to contrast the stainless steel appliances, including the French door-style refrigerator seen on the left in this photo.
The semicustom cabinets have a transitional look, with panel doors, heavy-duty stainless long pulls, molding on top and low-iron glass fronts on the upper cabinets. “It’s completely clear, with no green in it,” Ramaekers says. “To someone like Katie, who works as a photographer, that’s really important.”
As seen on the right side in this photo, the far side of the roomy island has a microwave drawer, a large bank of drawers for pots and pans, a double pullout for garbage and recycling bins, and upper drawers for food containers and other kitchen essentials.
The glass tile backsplash with a textured finish was one of the first details Katie chose for the kitchen. “The backsplash tile is so unique,” she says. “When the undercabinet lights shine on it, the backsplash comes alive, and it’s gorgeous.”
Cabinets: Dynasty Omega Cabinetry, MasterBrand Cabinets; cabinet hardware: Topex Design; backsplash: Jute Field Tile in ecru, Ann Sacks; perimeter counters: Metro Concreto, Dwyer Marble & Stone Supply; microwave drawer in island: Wolf
The semicustom cabinets have a transitional look, with panel doors, heavy-duty stainless long pulls, molding on top and low-iron glass fronts on the upper cabinets. “It’s completely clear, with no green in it,” Ramaekers says. “To someone like Katie, who works as a photographer, that’s really important.”
As seen on the right side in this photo, the far side of the roomy island has a microwave drawer, a large bank of drawers for pots and pans, a double pullout for garbage and recycling bins, and upper drawers for food containers and other kitchen essentials.
The glass tile backsplash with a textured finish was one of the first details Katie chose for the kitchen. “The backsplash tile is so unique,” she says. “When the undercabinet lights shine on it, the backsplash comes alive, and it’s gorgeous.”
Cabinets: Dynasty Omega Cabinetry, MasterBrand Cabinets; cabinet hardware: Topex Design; backsplash: Jute Field Tile in ecru, Ann Sacks; perimeter counters: Metro Concreto, Dwyer Marble & Stone Supply; microwave drawer in island: Wolf
Across from the island, the new built-in banquette sits by a half wall that separates the kitchen from a mudroom and family entrance. A padded bench adds comfort, and a large expandable wood harvest table gives the family flexibility when hosting casual gatherings.
Katie chose the clear chairs for a fresh, modern touch. “The clear chairs don’t take up much visual space, and we really wanted to keep this area feeling open and airy,” she says. “They’re very comfortable and make it a nice place to entertain and linger.”
Built-in banquette: custom; salvaged wood table: Restoration Hardware; clear acrylic chairs: CB2; Parker Point 17-inch chandelier: Kichler; paint on half wall: Thunder, Benjamin Moore
Katie chose the clear chairs for a fresh, modern touch. “The clear chairs don’t take up much visual space, and we really wanted to keep this area feeling open and airy,” she says. “They’re very comfortable and make it a nice place to entertain and linger.”
Built-in banquette: custom; salvaged wood table: Restoration Hardware; clear acrylic chairs: CB2; Parker Point 17-inch chandelier: Kichler; paint on half wall: Thunder, Benjamin Moore
The design of the new walk-in pantry was inspired by a pantry with decorative cabinets on each side that Katie saw on Houzz. Because they wanted the kitchen to feel as open as possible, Katie and Ramaekers used opaque glass doors for the front of the pantry, with glass shelves for display storage on each side.
Decorative metal tiles behind the glass shelves pull in colors used in the kitchen. Two glass-front cabinets below the shelves offer storage for part of the couple’s white china collection.
Opaque glass pantry doors: Birmingham Glass and Mirror
Decorative metal tiles behind the glass shelves pull in colors used in the kitchen. Two glass-front cabinets below the shelves offer storage for part of the couple’s white china collection.
Opaque glass pantry doors: Birmingham Glass and Mirror
Inside, 25 square feet of storage space with electrical outlets holds smaller appliances and dry goods. The pantry also includes a beverage center and built-in cubbies that can hold 30 bottles of wine, keeping the kitchen’s main counters free of clutter.
Stainless steel beverage center: Monogram, GE
Stainless steel beverage center: Monogram, GE
BEFORE: Here you can see how the old reach-in pantry, butler’s pantry and powder room took up valuable floor and storage space.
AFTER: The “after” plan illustrates how the relocation of the powder room and elimination of the butler’s and reach-in pantries allowed for a more family-friendly, functional and stylish kitchen for daily meals and entertaining.
“It’s a much more updated and contemporary look,” Katie says. “We really wanted a space where we could entertain, and we definitely have that now. It all just works.”
See more Kitchens of the Week
“It’s a much more updated and contemporary look,” Katie says. “We really wanted a space where we could entertain, and we definitely have that now. It all just works.”
See more Kitchens of the Week
Kitchen at a Glance
Who lives here: Christopher Conti, an automotive executive; his wife Katie, a professional interiors and architectural photographer (who took the “after” photos seen here); and their son, Benjamin, 13
Location: Birmingham, Michigan
Size: About 325 square feet (30 square meters)
Designer: Christine Ramaekers of MainStreet Design Build
BEFORE: Prior to the renovation, the kitchen had a dated country look and poor traffic flow. “The powder room opened right into the family room, and people were reluctant to use it,” Katie says. The Contis had done an addition in 2004 that had doubled the size of the home, but at the time they couldn’t figure out how to fix the powder room dilemma. “We assumed there was no solution,” Katie says.