We first met Elise and Michael to discuss their home renovation, and it was easy to see why they were ready to overhaul their 1950’s kitchen. The old space was closed off from the rest of the first floor, it was very narrow, and the washer and dryer were out in the open.
Before Photos
Elise really wanted an island, but the skinny layout made it challenging. In fact, a few other contractors had already told her that it would not be possible to fit an island with seating in her kitchen. We proved them very wrong!
A mudroom, pantry, and coffee bar were also on the wish list. We had a lot to fit in this small space.
The Kitchen
In the old kitchen, there were cabinets on one wall and the refrigerator, basement door, and garage door were on the opposite wall. I knew that if I could capture that depth, we’d have just enough room for an island with seating. But we also had to think about the doors, because we really didn’t have enough room for a door swing without having them crash into the back of counter stools.
To solve this, we converted the basement door to a sliding barn door and we reversed the garage door swing so it wouldn’t interfere with the seating. These changes gave us the space we needed to fit the island Elise had been hoping for.
The Kitchen Pantry & Coffee Bar
The skinny layout meant that we only had one main wall to work with for placement of the refrigerator, range, and sink. Luckily, we had plenty of length so everything fit comfortably with room for a large window over the sink to bring in some natural light.
The kitchen features clean emerald green subway tiles, a kitchen island with brass accents, and an apron sink. The GE Café white and brass appliances are perfect in this space. The area where the washer and dryer were is now a coffee bar with live edge wood shelving.
The Mudroom & Bathroom
The old layout had a big open dining area with access to a half bath. We revamped that space with a new layout, featuring a central hallway down the middle. Off the hallway, you can find the mudroom, laundry/full bathroom combo, and a walk-in pantry. The pantry has lots of storage, mesh front vegetable drawers, and functional counterspace.
The Living room
In the living room, we updated the old brick fireplace wall with a new modern look. We rebuilt the mantle, installed a marble surround, and added built-ins with storage.
The Basement
The basement wasn’t originally part of the plan, but as the project evolved it made sense to update this space while we were at it! The updated space is a light and bright very comfortable family room with built-in shelving and new windows.
More Details
Appliances: GE Café White Matte Appliances
Counters: Calacatta Venice Quartz
Wall Paint Color: Sherwin Williams Popular Gray SW 6071
Island, Pantry, Coffee Bar: Sherwin Williams Roycroft Bottle Green SW 2847
Mudroom: Sherwin Williams Indigo Batik SW 7602
Oak Stain: Minwax Jacobean
