Fantastic Transformations

Before and After Images

CLIENT COMMENTS
“It has been a pleasure to work with you and your company.  My family loves the room and deck and all we get is OOOH’S and AAH’S when people first see the room.  More than one person has suggested we should be featured in Southern Living Magazine!”
Richard and Patty Felker

“Very happy – would not change anything.  I am thrilled with the job.” 
Mary Lou Chambers 

“A 10 – Couldn’t have been better.”
Earl Brill 

“I just sit here in my new kitchen with a grin on my face.  It’s so beautiful.  It’s everything I could have wanted.  And we absolutely love Steve.  He was great to work with.” 
Liz Kaplan
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"How To Eliminate The Fear Of Remodeling"

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"Ten Top Design Tricks For Adding Pizzazz To Your Home"

Kitchen Tricks

In the process of designing a kitchen, it’s easy to adopt standard practices. After all, most of us have grown up in houses with kitchens.  How difficult is it to observe what we’ve used, take the best of what works, and finalize the plan? Shouldn’t it be just that easy?

The problem is that even if it turns out to be functionally correct, the result may be visually boring.  That’s when it pays to bring in a little radical thinking to break the monotony.

The basic philosophy behind these tricks is simply to look beyond the usual. If we want to do something really special, we need to stretch our imaginations. Every designer has a bag of tricks to overcome problem areas or chase away the blahs and here are a few of my best.

Pulling cabinets - Cabinets come in standard depths; 24” for base cabinets, 12” for wall cabinets. Normally, these are set flat against the wall, but they don’t have to be. In kitchens with marginal counter space, base cabinets can be pulled off the wall 3” to 6”. The additional depth this gives to the countertop means that appliances and other utensils sit back out of the way giving usable work space in front of them.

Pulling a sink base out 3” makes an interesting offset with the surrounding cabinet. Or, do it in reverse - pull all the cabinets out 3” except the sink. When you step up to the sink, the countertop wraps around you making access to the work surfaces more efficient.

Wall cabinets are less frequently pulled out, but there are times when it’s appropriate. For example, a wine rack sometimes looks better protruding further than the other cabinets.

Reducing cabinet depth - Make base cabinets on one side of a  small kitchen 18” or 21” deep and valuable space is gained to move around in.  Even a few inches can make a world of difference.

This technique works well for breaking up a long stretch of wall cabinets.  If they’re all the same depth, it can be pretty boring.  Make one a focal point, reduce the depth to 9”, perhaps put in glass doors, and enjoy the new look.

Alter cabinet height - In the old days, most wall cabinets came in standard 30” heights or built to the ceiling. Today, many cabinet lines are made with 30”, 33”, 36”, and 42” heights.

These variances are not just to accommodate different ceiling heights.  They can be used to vary the lines of the kitchen and add interest.  Why not use standard 30” H wall cabinets everywhere except over the range? Take that one to the ceiling. Or, taller cabinets on the ends with shorter cabinets in between? This creates space to display plants, dishes, or other objects.

Mixing finishes - Most people look at cabinets and make a decision on a specific wood or color and go with it throughout. Why not use different colors together for accent. The all white kitchens which are prevalent, today, could be warmed up by introducing wood elements. Focal point, open shelf, and specialty cabinets, together with crown moldings and other trim done in soft stained tones makes for a beautiful contrast. Bolder results can be achieved using black and white or light and dark stains.

Recessing a refrigerator - Larger refrigerators are wonderful to use.  But, the depth of them can be a real problem in a small kitchen. They can be recessed into the wall allowing us the luxury of large size with only the doors sticking out beyond the cabinets. The overall gain may only be 3 or 4 inches, but in a small kitchen, that works wonders.

Angles - Because the average kitchen has the cabinets backed up against the wall, any angles which are introduced make a big impact. For instance, a “U” shaped kitchen is efficient but can look bland. Angle the sink in one corner of the “U” and the range in the other, and the whole kitchen takes on a designer look.

Peninsulas and islands are excellent candidates for setting at an angle. Watch for all the possibilities for introducing this important trick. The only guide line with angles is that a little usually goes a long way, so don’t over do it.

There are many other tricks which improve the performance and personality of homes.