This Warren NJ couple purchased their home for its open floorplan and panoramic views of a private, wooded property. Although most of the home’s design is timeless, warm, and inviting, the contemporary influence of the 1980’s is strongly felt in the kitchen. Laminated cabinetry, lacquer built-ins dated the space. However, the unique “round” design it featured intrigued them and was a conversation piece to anyone who saw it.
The novelty of the “conversation piece” soon wore off as the couple realized some of the design’s drawbacks. Adjacent cabinet doors could not be opening to 90° at the same time, nor could draws be opened simultaneously. What felt like a large kitchen at first, actually had a tremendous amount of wasted space between each of the cabinets as they were pivoted to create the round plan. After a few months, they decided they not only wanted to update the kitchen, they wanted to square off the corners to add space back in.
After re-defining the space, the new design centers around a large, single level island that will house a secondary sink and dishwasher, a food prep area, and seating for four. A new gas cooktop is featured on the back wall, so the decorative hood enclosure can be seen from the living room and TV area. The refrigerator and ovens are nestled against the dining wall, providing ease of access for cooking, while keeping them out of plain sight. In addition to the new design, the fireplace will get a facelift, shallow trim boards are added to the ceiling, and the white-washed diagonal flooring will be replaced with a hand-scraped wood flooring in the kitchen, and will be refinished in the other areas.
They hired Design Build Planners to create designs that moved them from a rounded kitchen to a more classical rectangular kitchen.
Listed below is the scope of the kitchen remodel.
Kitchen
- Remove the rounded partition walls
- Relocate the cooktop to the basement stairs wall
- Wood hood over the cooktop
- Relocate the oven next to the refrigerator
- Build a new 12’, T-shaped island
- Seating area has a pedestal cabinet and two legs
- Dual sink at the window
- Second sink in island
- Staggered depth wall cabinets with the corner cabinets extended to the counter top
- Painted main cabinets, stained island, with quartz counter tops (2” thick at island)
- Ceiling trim
- Appliance package: 48” cooktop, dual oven, under counter microwave, two dishwashers, exhaust for wood hood, reuse existing refrigerator
- Stone tile on the fireplace, new hearth, and wood mantle
- Replace 8’ Pella patio door (kitchen)
- Paint kitchen and garage hall
- New Hand-Scraped prefinished hardwood floor
- Optional new flooring in living room and master bedroom
- Optional paint in remainder of main level and 2nd floor hall
- TV mounted on rotating cabinet
- Lighting per plan
The homeowners style preferences were for a modern look and finishes. They drew their inspiration from kitchen projects featured on Houzz.com. The design options are a result of homeowners online research combined with an in-home consultation with Design Build Planners. There is also a proprietary profile checklist that homeowners fill out that depicts their lifestyle and kitchen use. After compiling this information, Design Build Planners incorporates their construction knowledge and design creativity for the space with a focus on the budget and overall investment.
Below are a couple of before photos of the existing space. Also below are the final computer designs created by Jason Parsons, a Certified Kitchen and Bath Remodeler.
