Kitchens and bathrooms are the rooms that more easily become outdated during a home’s lifetime. Designer Gloria Graham of Kitchens for Living (www.kitchensforliving.net) took on a tough project of transforming an older style kitchen for a homeowner Florida.
The need for change was obvious from the peeling cabinet paint to the lack of counter space and storage. Though in need some upgrades, the kitchen still had good bones and is located at the center of the house, making it the heart of the home. The most important factor was to keep the homeowner’s footprint, while incorporating strategic improvements that would go a long way. The homeowner also had some products on her wish list there were able to be incorporated.
Gloria’s design inspiration stemmed from the desire to creatively utilize existing kitchen space. She chose to bring in a British Colonial feel by incorporating the “X” motif and rattan inserts in certain pieces the cabinetry. Due to limited natural light in the kitchen, it was best to steer clear of the more traditional deeper colors as the room would have become much too dark. In order to meet the homeowner’s need for more counter space and storage, the center island size had to be expanded. There is now counter space available in almost a full 360 degree area throughout the kitchen. Completing the package are a few small sneaky details that make this kitchen unique and fresh. These details include discreet cabinets that house the coffee maker and toaster oven as well as microwave drawer, keeping these appliances hidden when not in use.
The updated cabinets have a maple stain and darker glaze on them and rattan panels were included in order to create a balanced flow with the other dining room furniture. The cabinets were designed by Gloria, herself, and custom built by Brendan Donovan Furniture & Cabinet Co. (www.Brendandonovancabinets.com). Appliances in this kitchen include Thermador (gas range top), Subzero, Wolf and Bosch.
The homeowner’s favorite new feature was a durable white BLANCO SILGRANIT II Precis Super Single Sink. This classic style sink works nicely with the surrounding upgrades and its convenient size allowed for the surrounding space to be fully utilized.
With Gloria’s help the homeowner was very pleased with the end result. Her love of her new BLANCO Sink and the kitchen as a whole is extremely evident. This is the perfect example of how to increase storage space and functionality of a kitchen, while also brightening up the space and giving it a traditional airy feel.
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