This kitchen won a Contractor of the Year (CotY) award from NARI of Greater Charlotte. The competition was stiff with entries from some of the best remodelers in the Charlotte, NC area. Keep reading to see before and after photos and find out why the judges decided to crown this kitchen the winner.
Backstory
The homeowners delayed this kitchen remodel for years as they put their kids through college. Finally, with the kids off on their own, they were ready to treat themselves to a kitchen designed especially for them but they wanted to make sure it would compliment their historic home in Myers Park.
The home was built in the 1930s and, while the kitchen had been remodeled twenty years prior, it was definitely dated. The layout was choppy with little counter space and even less style.
Our objective was to not only create a more functional kitchen but also to add elegant touches in keeping with the home’s traditional roots.
Project Objectives
Create a streamlined, more functional kitchen
Increase counter space and landing spots for convenience and safety
Introduce traditional elegance in keeping with a home built in the 1930s
Maximize cabinet storage space
Modernize kitchen with top-of-the-line appliances
Camouflage fur-down with ducting for professional-style range
Maintain the original footprint of the kitchen
Process
The first step was to strip this kitchen down to the studs which uncovered rotten wood from an old shower leak upstairs and framing deficiencies from a previous remodel.
With everything wide open — the walls, ceiling and floor were shimmed and straightened to provide a clean canvas on which to work. A laminated beam was installed so that the load-bearing wall dividing the kitchen could be safely removed.
Transformation
Cold, blue tile on the kitchen floor was replaced with hardwood floors to match the existing hardwoods throughout the rest of the home.
The homeowners wanted a duel-fuel Wolf range which required a robust venting system but structural framing was blocking the only possible exhaust path. We designed a soffit to conceal the exhaust duct and wrapped it in cabinetry material.
The real star of the kitchen is our Distinctive Custom Cabinetry with inset doors and drawers, a pewter glaze to highlight the details of the raised panels, and exposed hinges which are a vintage touch.
While this kitchen remodel resulted in a sophisticated transformation befitting a classic old home, it is modernized and hard-working with lots of drawers for easy access to pots, pans and other cooking tools. A pull-out next to the range keeps spices handy and a rotating tray provides lots of storage in a difficult corner.
Happy Homeowners
In this kitchen, everything old is new again. But not without respect for the past.
The homeowners are thrilled with the final result and can’t believe how much bigger their kitchen feels and how much better it functions even though the footprint did not change.
"The cabinetry they offer is like fine furniture," says homeowner, Suzanne Johnson. "The quality of the wood is substantial, the construction is solid, the finishes are smooth inside and out – they’re worth every penny!"
Inspired yet?
You can transform your home into a place that reflects your values and brings you joy. The first step is to schedule your complimentary discovery call.
Erin Dougherty
