Distinctive
Design + Build + Remodel

Award-winning Kitchen Remodel

Distinctive wins a Chrysalis Award for a stunning kitchen remodel on Lake Davidson in Mooresville, NC. The Chrysalis Awards program recognizes the nation’s best work in sixteen general categories of residential and commercial remodeling. The Chrysalis Awards are open to professional remodelers and design professional in the United States.

Distinctive is one of 70 remodeling companies from across the United States named a winner at the 2014 Chrysalis Awards for Remodeling Excellence. The entries were judged on overall design, the creative use of space and materials, and the degree to which the project enhanced the original structure. “This was the first year they have entered the awards, and to take home top honors on the first attempt is impressive,” says Ken Kanline, Director of the Awards.

Award-winning Kitchen Remodel
Distinctive Design Build Mgryta Kitchen Remodel

“It takes a specialized team of designers and builders to bring a kitchen like this to life.”

BEFORE
BEFORE
AFTER
AFTER

The homeowner is an avid cook and often entertains for family and friends. But her old kitchen was cramped and didn’t reflect her sense of style. Our objective was to not only create a bigger, more functional kitchen but also to infuse the space with extraordinary finishes and dramatic details.

Distinctive Design Build Mgryta Kitchen
An existing pantry and laundry room behind the old kitchen were relocated which required removal of a load-bearing wall. With the load-bearing wall gone, the new space is now flooded with sunlight from existing windows on the front of the house. The entry from the garage to the house was reconfigured to accommodate the new pantry and required careful matching of an existing stone floor. A load-bearing column was removed and LVLs were installed to make the dramatic corbel ceiling which draws the eye up and frames the lake view over the new seating bar.

Distinctive Design Build Mgryta Kitchen

The homeowner didn’t want typical rows of upper cabinets found in many kitchens. While eliminating upper cabinets provides a more open look and feel, it can leave a kitchen desperate for useful storage. But storage is abundant in this kitchen thanks to clever use of vertical space, lower cabinets packed with functional storage accessories, as well as a cabinet recessed into an unused chase in the wall which is the perfect place to store a blender and other small appliances. One large cupboard with a custom “sleeve” made out of knotty alder sits on the Giallitta "leathered" granite countertop. The cabinetry framing the massive refrigerator and freezer is minimal so other design elements can take center stage.

Distinctive Design Build Mgryta Kitchen Remodel
Distinctive Design Build Mgryta Kitchen Remodel
While this kitchen remodel resulted in a stunning display of craftsmanship and artistry it is ultimately a cook’s kitchen. A massive island with a hand-crafted black walnut top provides plenty of space for food preparation. Two sinks and two dishwashers create multiple work zones. The seating bar is home to an ice maker, wine cooler and bar hidden in a tall pantry unit. Plenty of drawers mean pots, pans and utensils are located where needed and are easy to access.

Award-winning Kitchen Remodel
Distinctive Design Build Mgryta Kitchen Remodel
Because there are so few wall cabinets cluttering the scene, your eye is drawn up to cross beams on the ceiling which were finished on site to match the knotty alder cabinet sleeve. The multi-step process makes cost-effective poplar look like a much more expensive wood. A metal vent hood hand forged by a local artisan blacksmith provides a counter-balance to the refrigerator and freezer and introduces another organic material to the mix.

One of the most striking features of this kitchen is the corbel ceiling which extends over the gently curved seating bar. The corbel is coated with several layers of Venetian plaster which is a mixture of aged lime, marble dust and pigment. It is polished by hand, looks like antique stone, is luxurious to the touch and is incredibly durable. The Venetian plaster makes another appearance on the sensuous curves of the backsplash behind the cook top.

Distinctive Design Build Mgryta Kitchen Remodel