Atten-shun!!!
Now that I have your attention I gotta tell you about this beautiful kitchen that is up there. And I mean way up there. We remodeled this kitchen well over four years ago, but I recently had an opportunity to be invited back to see the finished results. When I first saw the room, I think I audibly gasped. I definitely inwardly gasped.
Let me back up a bit and share this story. Dwayne and his wife Donna had been on the lookout for the perfect waterfront home with quick boating access, when a fantastic Punta Gorda Isles home proved to be exactly what they were looking for. In 2014, when this 1,898-square-foot home became available, they didn’t hesitate. They bought it without a shred of buyer’s remorse.
The moment you cross the threshold and shut the door behind you, you will feel as though you’ve arrived in a tropical sanctuary. The home has a formal living room and dining room, plus a separate family room, all with cathedral ceilings. Every room in the home offers a pool and/or canal view with lots of natural light. The split bedroom floor plan features large bedrooms. You may be asking, what exactly is a split bedroom floor plan? It means there’s a main (master) bedroom on one end of the house, then the common living spaces in the middle, and the other bedrooms grouped together on the other side of the house. Dwayne’s and Donna’s master suite has private access to the lanai, with a big en suite, and a large walk-in closet. Outside, the lanai features an inground pool overlooking the wonderful canal. There’s plenty of room for outdoor entertaining. A concrete dock is steps from the back door.
After living in the home for a few years, they decided to tackle some of the dated issues that came with the 1986 built home. First up, was the numerous different types of flooring. Ceramic tile was located just inside the front door. Then there was the outdated carpeting in the formal living room and bedrooms. Last but not least, different floor tiles in the adjoining rooms. When Dwayne and Donna purchased the house in 2014 you would see three different types of flooring once you were just inside the front door.
Next up, was this kitchen. It was in desperate need of a makeover. There wasn’t much to love in this gloomy ’80s kitchen with melamine cabinets with oak trim, laminate countertops, an outdated peninsula, and coved dome ceiling fixtures with fluorescent light tubes and yellowing covers. It was depressing enough to make anyone want to eat out. So years ago, when they stopped by Just Counters & other stuff, inc., I had the great fortune of meeting with this wonderful couple. Dwayne and Donna wanted a show-stopper kitchen. They wanted it to be a gathering place to be enjoyed by family, friends, and neighbors.
After using a measuring tape to get exact measurements of walls, doors, windows and the ceiling height, the first thing I did was draft a floor plan. I wanted to work my magic and make sure that the improvements I designed for our wonderful new clients would give their kitchen style and personality. Dwayne and I knew one of the biggest challenges was the wall between the formal living room and kitchen was not square. “My first thought was if we straightened out that wall, we could make better use of that corner in the kitchen,” Dwayne said. So, after all the carpeting and various floor tiles were removed, Dwayne had the wall torn down and rebuilt to make it happen. This was a solid solution for this annoying and awkward problem. The new perfectly straight perpendicular wall will allow us to install corner cabinets, if we decide to.
Early on I told our clients that the angled peninsula would drive me crazy. Instead of a crooked peninsula, I asked them to consider an island. After all, the island has become a regular feature in renovated kitchens. The island is the centerpiece of many kitchens. It’s a place where you can sip your morning coffee, eat a casual lunch and gather in the evening with family and friends. A kitchen island also provides ample opportunity to showcase your style. Selecting the right configuration, materials, seating and lighting for your island can go a long way toward making your kitchen look its very best, and function just as you want it to.
The couple wanted a place for everything and everything in its place. So we discussed many options. Dwayne is a numbers type of guy and he wanted to be involved in improving the design and functionality of the kitchen. He and I went back and forth on numerous designs before the homeowners settled on one.
The transformation in this kitchen is truly jaw-dropping. This was once a dated and completely 1980s basic-looking kitchen, but has now become a bright and open space. What do you think about this island? I believe this island with waterfall legs is clearly the star in the room. It’s now the prime space for making memories around, laughing, and drinking with friends, and of course, cooking up amazing meals—or reheating them, I don’t judge.
The previous, dated kitchen had a desk in it. So, when I was designing the new kitchen, I created a new built-in desk for Dwayne and Donna. It’s tucked in the far corner of the kitchen. No matter how tiny the corner or how limited the surface area, this itty-bitty desk can attest to the power of making do with less. The homeowners wanted a way to hide some of the papers and stuff that accumulates on a desktop. So, we installed a wall cabinet with “cubbies” attached below. This helps keep the clutter tucked away and organized. The desk is much more useful for them now.
We converted a small closet space into a polished eye-catching wine storage. Dwayne and Donna didn’t want to spend much money on the cabinets in this area. So, we used RTA (ready to assemble) cabinets. To the naked eye, you would never know the cabinets are different than the ones they splurged on in the kitchen. Most people cannot tell the difference. These RTA’s finishes offered rich looks without the big price tag.
The homeowners selected all plywood cabinets by Shiloh Cabinetry. They choose Silas stain on Maple wood. The countertop in the kitchen is Cambria’s Brittanicca. It’s no wonder that Brittanicca quickly took center stage, with its translucent gray veins that stream across a temperate white backdrop like venerable old rivers flowing into a fog-bound harbor. Imex Stone did a fabulous job installing all of the quartz counters and waterfall legs. They perfectly pieced together two sections of quartz so that they change direction and “flow down” the side. The counter on top of this island drops vertically down the sides instead of stopping abruptly at the edge of cabinets, creating a continuous flow that links the floor to the cabinetry in a fluid design.
Just Counter’s, Ben Hanson, did a superb job installing all of the cabinets and trims. He is very detailed, hardworking, and knowledgeable.
What’s the one thing you wish your kitchen had? Now that the New Year is here, you’re probably reflecting on the past and how you can make 2022 even better. While you’re making resolutions, now is a great time to consider how you can get more out of your kitchen — for both you, and your family. Are you ready to get started on your next kitchen or bathroom remodeling project? If so, contact me. I’d be happy to help you create your dream space.
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