Kitchen Makeovers
Kitchen of the Week
Before and Afters
Kitchen of the Week: Light, Warm and Open for Lakeside Gatherings
A reworked layout adds elbow room and an island, creating an entertaining-friendly setup for family and friends
Nestled in the woods of an island on Lake Champlain, Vermont, this 1955 “seasonal camp” home is where empty nesters Lance and Dawn Trigg go to entertain family and friends. But the couple, who live primarily in Florida, didn’t feel the kitchen was party-ready. At issue were aging appliances, an abundance of pine paneling, green linoleum floors, blue-green laminate countertops and a peninsula that cut off traffic flow.
Wanting a brighter and more open space for cooking and entertaining, the homeowners looked at inspiration photos on Houzz. They then hired designer Britt Mee and builder Bill Wockenfuss to help them realize their vision. The remodeling team removed the peninsula setup and replaced an old staircase off the kitchen with a spiral version. Those moves added 141 square feet and created room for extended cabinetry and a new island with seating and storage. The island’s cool blue-green base, white perimeter cabinets and greige paneled walls establish a light and casual yet upbeat look. The refinished pine ceiling and new rustic pine flooring add tremendous warmth. Upgraded appliances and a bar station in the island ensure partygoers stay well stocked with plenty of food and drink.
Wanting a brighter and more open space for cooking and entertaining, the homeowners looked at inspiration photos on Houzz. They then hired designer Britt Mee and builder Bill Wockenfuss to help them realize their vision. The remodeling team removed the peninsula setup and replaced an old staircase off the kitchen with a spiral version. Those moves added 141 square feet and created room for extended cabinetry and a new island with seating and storage. The island’s cool blue-green base, white perimeter cabinets and greige paneled walls establish a light and casual yet upbeat look. The refinished pine ceiling and new rustic pine flooring add tremendous warmth. Upgraded appliances and a bar station in the island ensure partygoers stay well stocked with plenty of food and drink.
After: The remodeling team removed the old appliances, cabinets, countertops, flooring and peninsula. It updated the electrical and plumbing and replaced the staircase with a spiral version that sits deeper into the house, which provided space to expand the kitchen by 141 square feet. Those moves created room for an island that offers extra storage, seating and a spot for a beverage fridge and pullout liquor shelves. “Having the island instead of the peninsula allows the flow to be a lot more natural and allows those lake views,” Mee says. “It also created the division we needed for a new mudroom area they wanted.”
The island is painted a cool blue-green (Composed by Sherwin-Williams). “I grew up in Florida and have always loved the color of water,” Lance says. “It was a way to incorporate the color into our kitchen. It complements the water outside.” The perimeter cabinets are a clean white with a hint of gray that complements the painted greige wall panels (Grége Avenue by Benjamin Moore). “That’s the original paneling there, but we repaired 70 years of the dings and scratches and then painted it,” Lance says.
The refinished pine ceiling and new rustic pine flooring in a natural finish balances the room with warmth. The ceiling has new LED lights. Easy-care rugs add pattern and softness over the pine flooring and can be machine-washed and dried. Stained pine frames on the upgraded Marvin windows coordinate with other wood elements.
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The island is painted a cool blue-green (Composed by Sherwin-Williams). “I grew up in Florida and have always loved the color of water,” Lance says. “It was a way to incorporate the color into our kitchen. It complements the water outside.” The perimeter cabinets are a clean white with a hint of gray that complements the painted greige wall panels (Grége Avenue by Benjamin Moore). “That’s the original paneling there, but we repaired 70 years of the dings and scratches and then painted it,” Lance says.
The refinished pine ceiling and new rustic pine flooring in a natural finish balances the room with warmth. The ceiling has new LED lights. Easy-care rugs add pattern and softness over the pine flooring and can be machine-washed and dried. Stained pine frames on the upgraded Marvin windows coordinate with other wood elements.
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Mee also reworked the appliance layout. The new 30-inch slide-in electric range now sits on the sink wall. A modern wall-mount chimney hood has LED lights and a four-speed fan that keeps odors and smoke from drifting into surrounding areas. Soft-close drawers include a tiered spice drawer to the left of the range.
The countertops and backsplash are a warm white marble-look quartz with a polished finish. “This quartz has some gray in the veining that ties into the stainless steel appliances, and gold and rust in the veining that ties in with the wood tones,” Mee says.
Backsplash and counters: Calacatta Valentin quartz, MSI; range: KitchenAid; range hood: XO Ventilation
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The countertops and backsplash are a warm white marble-look quartz with a polished finish. “This quartz has some gray in the veining that ties into the stainless steel appliances, and gold and rust in the veining that ties in with the wood tones,” Mee says.
Backsplash and counters: Calacatta Valentin quartz, MSI; range: KitchenAid; range hood: XO Ventilation
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Cabinet pullouts and dividers help keep things organized. This lower drawer to the right of the range includes moveable pegs for customizable storage of bowls and dishes. “Because of the beautiful windows in the old kitchen, there were really no upper cabinets,” Dawn says. “Britt guided us to the plate drawers. Everything just stays so organized.”
The location of this drawer allows for easy transfer of clean dishes from the new 24-inch energy-efficient stainless steel dishwasher to the right. “There was no dishwasher in the original kitchen,” Dawn says. “I was the dishwasher.”
Dishwasher: 800 Series, Bosch
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The location of this drawer allows for easy transfer of clean dishes from the new 24-inch energy-efficient stainless steel dishwasher to the right. “There was no dishwasher in the original kitchen,” Dawn says. “I was the dishwasher.”
Dishwasher: 800 Series, Bosch
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Before: This photo shows how the peninsula and protruding white refrigerator left an awkward and narrow entry into the kitchen from the dining area. A lack of storage forced the couple to add a freestanding storage rack below the window at the back. The door partially visible here to the right of that window is the front entry of the home.
After: With the peninsula gone and the new spiral staircase added, Mee relocated the refrigerator to the place of the former window. Extended cabinets improve storage, and the streamlined layout accommodates crowds and multiple cooks. “We had a family reunion and it worked beautifully,” Dawn says.
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Efficient rollouts and dividers maximize storage around the fridge. A 24-inch built-in microwave now sits in this hardworking pantry wall. “Moving the refrigerator off that other wall allowed us to have more depth for the space,” Mee says. “It also freed up space for the new mudroom wall.”
The updated front door was shifted over a bit and connects to a new porch and paved walkway. “We centered that door, so when you walk inside you see the lake and get that great view of the water,” Wockenfuss says. “By moving the door over, it helped expand the kitchen and give you that water view.”
Door: Marvin; microwave: KitchenAid; refrigerator: Bosch
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The updated front door was shifted over a bit and connects to a new porch and paved walkway. “We centered that door, so when you walk inside you see the lake and get that great view of the water,” Wockenfuss says. “By moving the door over, it helped expand the kitchen and give you that water view.”
Door: Marvin; microwave: KitchenAid; refrigerator: Bosch
7 Essential Features of a Well-Designed Kitchen
The durable composite sink has a roomy single basin. The pull-down faucet has a polished nickel finish that coordinates with the sconce above and the brushed satin nickel cabinet hardware.
The back corner acts as a coffee station. A floating shelf is painted the same blue-green as the island base. “It’s great for guests,” Dawn says. “They know where the coffee maker is and where all the accessories are.”
Sink: Blanco; faucet: Moen; sconce: Margot in polished nickel, Mitzi by Hudson Valley; hardware: Holland pull in brushed satin nickel, various sizes, Top Knobs
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The back corner acts as a coffee station. A floating shelf is painted the same blue-green as the island base. “It’s great for guests,” Dawn says. “They know where the coffee maker is and where all the accessories are.”
Sink: Blanco; faucet: Moen; sconce: Margot in polished nickel, Mitzi by Hudson Valley; hardware: Holland pull in brushed satin nickel, various sizes, Top Knobs
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A 24-inch beverage fridge sits on the interior side of the island. “Oftentimes we put beverage centers in an island because the perimeter can be used for primary appliances,” Mee says. “Since guests are often sitting at the island, everything is right there.”
Beverage center: XO Ventilation
Beverage center: XO Ventilation
A cabinet to the right of the beverage fridge has rollouts with dividers for liquor bottles. A second rollout above keeps drinking glasses within easy reach. “That bar area is at the end part of the island so guests aren’t congregating in the deep part of the kitchen,” Lance says.
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Before: Here’s a look at the former refrigerator wall. “That side of the kitchen was underutilized,” Dawn says. “The cabinets were deep and dark. Things placed inside there were often lost.”
After: Relocating the refrigerator created space for this mudroom area right off the front door on the left. A 46-inch angular pendant light with tapered linen shades provides architectural interest and lighting over a built-in red oak bench built by Wockenfuss.
Pendant light: Beatrix in champagne, West Elm
Pendant light: Beatrix in champagne, West Elm
The mudroom area has two closets with hanging storage. Drawers below provide space for items like sunglasses, hats and chargers. Open space below the drawers offers a spot for shoes.
Panels on the red oak bench open to reveal storage for blankets and seasonal outdoor gear. “It was divided into three separate pieces so you can put anything in there,” Wockenfuss says. “It was too cumbersome to have one continuous slab.” Double hooks on the wall offer grab-and-go storage for handbags, backpacks and sweaters. “The mudroom area is beautiful, it’s functional and it just makes sense,” Dawn says.
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This floor plan shows the layout of the updated kitchen, with the sink and range wall (top), relocated fridge (middle right), mudroom (bottom) and island (center). To the left of the mudroom is the new spiral staircase. To the left of the kitchen is the dining room with sliding door access to the backyard and lake. “When you come into the home now, you see the kitchen and the lake, which is really the reason you’re there,” Mee says.
More on Houzz
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More on Houzz
Read more kitchen stories
Browse kitchen photos
Hire a kitchen remodeler
Shop for kitchen products
Kitchen at a Glance
Who lives here: This is a vacation home for empty nesters Lance and Dawn Trigg
Location: Grand Isle, Vermont
Size: 366 square feet (34 square meters)
Designer: Britt Mee of Vermont Interior Design
Builder: Bill Wockenfuss of Vermont Renovation and Remodeling
Before: This photo of the 225-square-foot kitchen prior to the remodel shows its old cabinets and appliances, blue-green laminate countertops and green linoleum flooring. The pine wall paneling had its charm, but, with the pine ceiling, the wood elements overwhelmed the kitchen. “People love incorporating wood in Vermont homes, but you have to be careful when you have too much of it,” Mee says.
The peninsula on the left cut the kitchen off from the dining area and access to the backyard and lake. The existing windows offered nice views but were drafty and needed to be upgraded. Across from the peninsula was an old staircase that took up a lot of floor space. “It was dark and scary,” Lance says.