Kitchen

A kitchen remodel without changing the cabinets or down time!

August 23, 2024 by LuxeSpecs

The kitchen had potential – nice quality cabinets, a view, and space to improve.

So I made improvements:

All new appliances with wooden refrigerator doors blend the Sub Zero refrigerator with the cabinetry that is visible from the entry.
The existing cabinets were sanded.
The soffit above the refrigerator and the top of a partial wall that divided the kitchen from the family room were eliminated.
A new cabinetry section was added to replace the kitchen desk. It holds small appliances and file drawers for kitchen related materials.
The new leathered granite countertop/pass through to the family room has bar stool seating on the family room side. Blacks are easy to blend.
A new cabinetry section was needed for the island. We didn’t need to have space for bar stools. The rounded corners mimic the original countertop. The sliding doors have the same spacing as the new cabinet opposite.
The 6” cans were replaced with 2” cans and hand painted medallions were added to the ceiling.
For interest and depth, the door into the office was removed which allowed space for the artwork (Apple by Weston).
A custom shelf in this laundry area is handy and expands the kitchen.

Over the pass through into the family room.

How To Select the Right Island(s)

January 12, 2022 by LuxeSpecs

What has happened to kitchens? Once we went to an island, it evolved into a single long counter in front of cabinetry. This looks great but real cooks need convenient appliance locations and ample countertops for assembling their dishes! If COVID accentuated anything, it was the need to eat from home! There have been more recipes published AND they have been more practical. So, back to kitchen design. From one island to two? How do you navigate two? Start with your appliance locations and go from there. Consider your preference for double ovens or a range. The spacing on this is a major determining factor. Restrictions also include doors and windows.

A recent photo I saw showed two islands and at the back was the Wolf range – between the islands. This range is a focal point and it is difficult to give it its due with an island covering it up!

Other designs show a prep kitchen separate from the show kitchen. Others have a spice kitchen for the separation of aromas! This is ever changing. Just work it out with function first as there are many options to make it look great!

Backsplashes Offer a New Look for Your Kitchen

January 5, 2021 by LuxeSpecs

Are you ready for a new look in your kitchen in the new year? A great backsplash can give the entire kitchen an updated look! Your eye goes to a contrast in color so if you want pop then add a backsplash that is colorful. The entire area from the base cabinets to the uppers can be updated. Covering the wall up to the exhaust fan over the stove is also a good idea.

It can be paint in your favorite color or a pattern you find that you love. DIY down and dirty option – use chalk paint for color and you can write on it!

You can use tile or tile banded by narrower tiles of the same or coordinating colors to achieve the desirable height. (Put the cut tiles where they show the least if you can’t use all full tiles.) Ceramic or glass tile will have many options.

Glass, mirror, stainless or copper are a totally different look and again can be combined with tiles or used in specific areas. The smooth surface requires more cleaning so use accordingly.

You can use natural stone or quartz. Either the same surface as the countertop or a contrasting solid color. Backsplashes made from slab can be cut to fit the space in squares, rectangles or slab. We had black galaxy granite on the countertops and the backsplash of our last home. Natural stone does not have to be sealed every year as you often read. It varies from stone to stone. We never resealed the black granite backsplash and regularly need to reseal our current limestone.

Don’t know a kitchen remodeling contractor? The supplier will! Or ask your interior designer!

Looking for inspiration? Visit my Pinterest Kitchen board or the Countertops board.

Is Natural Stone Obsolete?

December 13, 2020 by LuxeSpecs

Is natural stone obsolete? Never! Even as we were trending toward the quartz (composite) products in recent years, many people were holding out for the real thing! Yes, quartz is lower maintenance than natural stone products that need to have the surface recoated. But the Black Galaxy granite we had in our last kitchen was never recoated in the fifteen years we lived there and it still looked great! Natural products also look real – they are! Quartz is great for the contemporary look that is now in. It doesn’t need to be refinished but it is also harder to repair. A recent project with an oversized island required natural stone as quartz was not available in a wide enough slab. Approach each situation with an open mind and use the product that is best for it. The current limestone in our kitchen is high maintenance but I would only replace it with quartzite – another natural stone!

Observing the Recent Kitchen Changes

October 22, 2020 by LuxeSpecs

In recent years the kitchen / family room combination has been overwhelmingly popular. It has evolved from the days when appliances looked like appliances. With wood panels on refrigerators and the more streamlined design of appliances, it is now easy to have a seamless transition in the two areas without looking at a ’50s era kitchen. The main obstacle has been having a big enough kitchen if the back wall is mainly appliances and the island is the only other component. Cooks should design kitchens! By extending at least one side of the kitchen (an L-shape) and then positioning the island, you have created more appliance and countertop space. A U shape with an island also works well. Recent articles showcase a working pantry/scullery. Spacing is always a determining factor. The working pantry has the advantage of caterers working behind the scenes and the disadvantage in everyday functions of separating the cooks! It is more convenient if everything is in a continuous area where cooks can talk to each other! A second sink, dishwasher and microwave in the secondary area would allow prep for the main or dessert course after guests have started to enjoy the starters or main course. However ice, wine, seltzer taps, ovens, coffee stations and refrigerator drawers with afterschool snacks for kids all need to be close to their final use areas. Ice makers can be noisy and need to be located accordingly. Open shelves collect dust whether they are exposed in the kitchen or in the usable pantry. Linens, flatware and dishes close to the tables cuts down on cross traffic. We have come a long way since the ice box but with so many options it takes careful planning to achieve a highly functional space.