Design Statement/Philosophy

Light, bright, and airy with optimized and thoughtful storage were the requests for this family’s new kitchen. With a shady backyard, the interior finishes had to be carefully considered in order to brighten the space. Removing the warm golden jewel toned walls from the kitchen and adjacent family room was the first step to meet the client’s needs. Introducing calming gray tones, bright white subway tile, and soft white painted cabinetry added to the total transformation. The new linear central working island creates a space for older children to work on homework, a quick family snack, or adequate prep space for cooking. The island also provides much needed storage for this family. The elimination of a kitchen table was possible because an adjacent dining room continues to provide a space for traditional seated dining.

Original to the early 90’s construction of the home the basic kitchen really showed fatigue, only the fridge was to be reused. The range was uncomfortably tight to use and exacerbated by the adjacent sink location. Inadequate re-circulating ventilation via over the range microwave made cooking the family’s favorite Creole recipes a noxious affair with bold lingering cooking smells. A furniture piece being utilized as an island was more decorative than useful, improperly proportioned and lacked both seating and electrical outlets. Task lighting was nonexistent and only a single central light fixture illuminated the space. The overhead pot rack provided desperately needed storage but collected dust while blocking the view to the family room.