Kitchen Makeovers
Kitchen of the Week
Kitchen of the Week: Open, Airy and Made for Entertaining
A designer adds square footage and white-and-wood style, and improves the flow for an empty-nest couple’s get-togethers
Frustrated with their tight (162-square-foot) kitchen and its closed-off layout and sharp angles, this Minnesota couple turned to design-build firm Titus Contracting for help. Designer Ksusha Olson and her team took down walls and expanded the kitchen into a former dining room, adding 138 square feet and creating an open layout with a large hardworking island for entertaining family and friends. A round island end with seating softens the look and helps the couple forget about the angles in their former space. A beautiful and nuanced mix of white and wood elements creates a breezy, casual style full of warmth.
A 30-inch gas cooktop was part of an appliance package that helped the homeowners save money on their renovation. A custom wood hood is painted in the same paint as the cabinets for a cohesive look. The oak band adds a bit of contrast.
Open black metal shelving mounted on the wall on each side of the hood and by the sink also provides contrast, along with matte black cabinet pulls. The perimeter countertop and backsplash are marble-look Calacatta Lavasa quartz, blending with the white cabinets to allow the black details to stand out. The island countertop is a marble-look quartz with lots of movement and subtle gray tones. “They wanted something more dramatic on the island,” Olson says. “They fell in love with that one first, so then we were trying to find something to complement it but not be as busy.”
Gas cooktop and paneled refrigerator: Fisher & Paykel; cabinet hardware: Alta Moda, Creations by Alno
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Open black metal shelving mounted on the wall on each side of the hood and by the sink also provides contrast, along with matte black cabinet pulls. The perimeter countertop and backsplash are marble-look Calacatta Lavasa quartz, blending with the white cabinets to allow the black details to stand out. The island countertop is a marble-look quartz with lots of movement and subtle gray tones. “They wanted something more dramatic on the island,” Olson says. “They fell in love with that one first, so then we were trying to find something to complement it but not be as busy.”
Gas cooktop and paneled refrigerator: Fisher & Paykel; cabinet hardware: Alta Moda, Creations by Alno
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A 30-inch self-cleaning double oven with a touch-screen interface sits to the left of the 36-inch integrated paneled French door refrigerator with bottom freezer. A tall pantry cabinet with three doors stands to the left of the double oven and includes a section with rollout shelves for easy access to dry goods. A deep drawer below the double oven stores glass and plastic food containers. The upper cabinet above the double oven has dividers inside for storing cookie sheets and baking pans. An existing sliding glass door on the left connects the kitchen to a backyard deck.
Double oven: Fisher & Paykel
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Double oven: Fisher & Paykel
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A 32-inch undermount workstation single-bowl stainless steel sink has an integrated ledge and accessories including a solid bamboo cutting board and a multipurpose roll-up dish drying rack. A paneled double dish drawer sits to the lower right of the sink. A matte black single-handle pull-down kitchen faucet with touch technology coordinates with a black metal pendant above and other black details. (The kitchen also includes new LED recessed ceiling lights that the photographer removed from these photos to help focus attention on other design elements.)
A large dish pantry cabinet on the right features doors that slide in when open. It sits right on the countertop.
Sink: undermount stainless steel, Kraus USA; faucet: Monrovia, Delta Faucet
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A large dish pantry cabinet on the right features doors that slide in when open. It sits right on the countertop.
Sink: undermount stainless steel, Kraus USA; faucet: Monrovia, Delta Faucet
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The kitchen opens to a casual dining area in what was once a breakfast room. The interior side of the island has a garbage pullout, six drawers and a cabinet with a lift-out mixer.
This wider view shows how the kitchen and dining area connect to a staircase that leads down to the home’s front entry. “Previously, when you walked up those stairs, all you could see was basically the living room,” Olson says. “Now when you walk up those stairs, you can see the whole main floor.” A wood built-in and a ceiling-mounted black metal shelving system help connect the dining space to the kitchen.
New to home remodeling? Learn the basics
New to home remodeling? Learn the basics
On the opposite side, the kitchen now enjoys openness to the living room.
Before: This floor plan of the former layout shows how the kitchen (middle far right) was closed off to the dining room (top right) and living room (top center). An angled peninsula in the kitchen created an awkward layout.
When guests arrived at the top of the front entry stairs (bottom center), they saw the living room but not the kitchen.
When guests arrived at the top of the front entry stairs (bottom center), they saw the living room but not the kitchen.
After: Olson eliminated the walls and expanded the kitchen into the former dining room (top right). The former breakfast area became the new casual dining area. The angled island with a curved countertop adds an inviting spot for guests to gather around and feel connected to both the living room and the kitchen.
“I think my clients will enjoy this newly updated space for years to come,” Olson says. “Their renovated main level is not only beautiful with a perfect balance of warmth and brightness but also functional.”
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“I think my clients will enjoy this newly updated space for years to come,” Olson says. “Their renovated main level is not only beautiful with a perfect balance of warmth and brightness but also functional.”
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Kitchen at a Glance
Who lives here: An empty-nest couple
Location: Chaska, Minnesota
Size: 300 square feet (28 square meters)
Design-build firm: Titus Contracting
After knocking down walls (see the “before” and “after” floor plans below), Olson and the remodeling team expanded the kitchen footprint and created an open layout. “We were able to open up the space while keeping defined zones for formal dining, casual sitting at the island and a separate living area,” Olson says. “This new layout allows for formal holiday meals, casual conversations with the cook and effortless entertaining.”
A new island is the hub of the space. It has an angled design that creates a roomier atmosphere around the seating area. A curved countertop on the seating end softens the look and feel. At the other end, three cabinets with glass-front doors add storage and style. “I suggested that we add something with clear glass on this side of the island for visual interest,” Olson says. “Those cabinets have lights inside. I thought it would be a nice place to display decorative pieces or glassware.”
Meanwhile, a palette of white and wood elements delivers inviting, warm style. Two substantial custom oak cabinet sections in a natural finish are featured prominently. The volume on the left contains wall ovens, a paneled fridge and storage. On the right is dish storage. The center-bottom cabinets have a sunny white finish (Greek Villa, Sherwin-Williams). White walls with warm greige undertones (Shoji White, Sherwin-Williams), decorative wood beams, a white oak band on the range hood and wood-look luxury vinyl plank flooring round out the palette.
“They knew when they came to me they wanted wood somewhere, but were not sure they wanted an all-wood kitchen,” Olson says. “White felt neutral, timeless and bright. Adding the wood was a way to bring the warmth and a natural element. The ceiling was vaulted and tall, and we felt adding those beams would ground the room a little bit.”
Ceiling paint: Ceiling White, Sherwin-Williams
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