Design objectives for the remodel were aimed at giving the kitchen a larger feel, more room for cooking and extra seating for entertaining: -Island with seating -Space for a larger range/cooking area -More storage with cabinets to the ceiling -Making the original dining room blend with the kitchen so it all feels like one space Design challenges to be solved: -Making the header between the kitchen and the old dining room make sense as we combined the two spaces -Avoid feeling crammed – a large island with seating still needed space for people walking around the space -Refrigerator location – the header and window placements needed to stay, so finding a new and functional place for the fridge was a priority -Add a large hood for wow-factor appeal Design solutions fell into place as the overall layout came together: -A large island to seat their four-person family comfortably. -Seating on two sides of the island improves conversation and has a great look. -Knocking out a dining room wall gave us more room for the island. The leftover part of the dining was perfect for a dry bar/beverage area. -The refrigerator needed to blend in and also be easily accessible. We removed the built-in pantry and used this space to house the refrigerator/freezer. Then we added tall pantry cabinets throughout the kitchen to make up for the loss of space. -A large metal hood broke up the space and made for a fun statement piece The new space is perfect for family time when the kids are back. It’s more conducive for being together, hanging out together, and entertaining with different friend groups together… the family simply spends more time together when they’re together in their new space. “It’s the design and the openness,” the mom says. “Everybody loves it and gathers around the island all the time. It’s the lighting, too – it’s brighter in here. It’s just more open. We love it!”