Attractive Maple Wood Kitchen

Thinking of moving to Florida? You’re not alone. Every year, the Sunshine State attracts thousands of newcomers to its sandy shores – and it’s not hard to see why. From the lack of state income tax to the sunny weather, there are plenty of reasons to love calling Florida home. Its diverse population, delectable food, theme parks, and many natural attractions also make it a particularly interesting place to live.

Michael and Jeannie are originally from the mountainous area of Pennsylvania. The mountains provided them with serenity and breathtaking scenery. But they were also faced with long commutes, rainy days, gloomy weather, and harsh winters. Eventually our clients decided they wanted to move to Florida. They wanted to live where there is exceptionally warm and sunny weather. Florida is known to have more than 200 sunshine-filled days each year.

After taking a vacation in North Port, Florida, they decided this was the neighborhood they wanted to call home. So, the couple purchased a home they loved with a kitchen they disliked. They knew there would eventually come a day when they would need to renovate it. While Michael’s and Jeannie’s love for the home was all-consuming, it wasn’t blind. They knew the house needed a palette change from its decades-old yellow and white scheme. The home needed to become a chic Florida home with a modern interior.

The kitchen had a fabulous footprint and was functional, but visually it was unappealing. The kitchen doesn’t look too horrible in the “before” photos. But the cheap existing thermofoil cabinets were showing their wear. Thermofoil cabinets are especially prone to delamination. Thermofoil is a thin PVC vinyl material that is applied to MDF under both vacuum pressure and heat. While the bond between the thermofoil and MDF has short-term integrity, the bond can fail over the long term.

Nevertheless, the kitchen was a decent sized room, but the floor plan of the house did not allow them to knock down any walls to open it up. The kitchen borders a dining room and a formal living room. The one thing this kitchen did have going for it was the flooring. The same tile flooring runs through the kitchen, and the adjacent rooms. This was a feature that would have been too costly to update.

So, by the time I met with this wonderful couple, they were fed up with the agonies of the all-white-falling-apart-cabinets and boring black granite countertops. They were so ready for a change. And they were right, the kitchen was in desperate need of an update. The homeowners wanted a classic kitchen that would not go out of style. However, finding a cabinet and countertop color that would match or complement the tones in the existing flooring could perhaps be a challenge.

A huge part of a kitchen remodel is figuring out the right color palette. Colors that are on-trend, and yet timeless, that will blend in seamlessly with the rest of the décor, like Michael’s and Jeannie’s flooring. While this task was a little tricky, we found a perfect solution. How did we solve this dilemma? Well, we started by utilizing the opportunity that the flooring provided. We used Aspect’s maple kitchen cabinets with Ginger stain which added a welcoming, homey touch to the kitchen. Natural wood cabinets add a warmth and charm to kitchens that you just can’t get with paint. In fact, the maple cabinets instantly added warmth and brighten up this kitchen.

The countertop? We used Cambria Berkeley. Berkeley is a polished quartz product produced in the USA by Cambria. Berkeley takes its name from a southern English town, and its inspiration from the river that runs through it. There are hints of copper and a smattering of bronze swim among a riverbed of sandy tones, creating a pleasing combination of movement and inertia.

Even though this was a budget-friendly refresh, the kitchen hardware and tile backsplash was not a rash decision that the homeowners made right at the end. They knew the hardware and tile backsplash is like the jewelry to an outfit. The earrings or necklace can make or break your outfit, right? Similarly, choosing the right cabinet hardware, tile backsplash, sink and/or faucet can take your kitchen from builder basic to a high-end look.

The homeowners selected oil rubbed bronze hardware. The finish can give a room a touch of that old world character and bring warmth and elegance to almost any décor. Michael and Jeannie purchased the tile backsplash from a big box store. But get this… their talented daughter installed it for them. Carla did a marvelous job!

Michael and Jeannie also hired us to remodel their two bathrooms, using the same finishes. Just Counter’s and other stuff talented artisans, Tommy McCaffrey, Sam Zwack, and Aaron Shaffer did an absolutely amazing job! The clients gave each of us the luxury to do what we do best. So, when you have the right team in place, you end up with something spectacular.

Michael and Jeannie will love their beautiful finished rooms for a lifetime. Their kitchen, especially, was designed and built just for them, by artisans who are passionate about getting every detail just right.

Last September I masked up. I started the engine. I drove to a Michael’s and Jeannie’s home. As soon as I pulled into their driveway, I was in awe. I was in love. It was “love at first sight” with the exterior paint colors. The body of the house was painted in one color, the garage and front door was painted in another, and all the trim was painted in a third color. Here I should note that Michael and Jeannie are gems because they provided me with the paint colors they used to paint the exterior of their home. Michael and Jeannie did me a tremendous favor when they divulged their paint colors. If you missed my January 27, 2021 blog called “Incredible Before-And-After Home Exterior to Inspire Your Next Renovation” click here.