When you’re buying a new home, you have to take into account many things. Location. Price. Local facilities. The neighbors. School district. When Northeastern Ohio snowbirds, Wayne and Jackie, purchased this condo years ago, they found themselves with a terribly dated kitchen. It had almond laminate cabinets from the 80’s with wood trim, butcher block-look laminate countertops, ceramic floor tiles and a tray ceiling—complete with 1980s recessed fluorescent lights. Jackie officially hated the kitchen and knew straight away that she wanted the complete opposite. She dreamed of having a kitchen that was brighter, airier, and more spacious. When they first purchased the condo, a complete kitchen renovation project wasn’t an option. Financially it would have been better to wait a while. So, the snowbirds lived with this kitchen for ten years.
In the summer of 2021 Just Counter’s & other stuff, inc. received a call from Jackie. After being referred to us by a few neighbors and seeing some of the work we had done previously, she knew the Just Counter’s team was right for the job.
A lot can change in 36 years. That’s how old this kitchen was by the time it got a facelift. The condo was built in 1985. Using the slider, you can compare the dated 36-year-old kitchen the stunning updated space.
The kitchen is immediately on the left when you walk in the front door of their condo. I met with Jackie to discuss her hopes and aspirations for her kitchen remodel. The primary focus was to “open up” the floor plan so guests could enjoy one large island instead of being sectioned off into smaller groups, in separate rooms. After determining what was most important to the homeowner, I set to work to design a kitchen that I felt Jackie would love. Detailed 3D renderings helped as a visual communication tool. Some of the biggest changes to achieve a more spacious room were to remove some walls. In the effort to create a more spacious kitchen, Jackie asked me if we could remove a portion of the peninsula wall between the kitchen and dining room and the wall between the kitchen and hallway.
But before we could knock down any walls, we had to make sure they weren’t load-bearing walls. To Jackie’s disappointment, we had to keep a tall narrow column next to the island because it housed the plumbing and electrical. We did however remove a large portion of the peninsula wall. These modifications alone made the central hub of this home feel significantly larger.
Immediately upon entering the home, guests are now welcomed into this beautiful, spacious kitchen. The view from the dining room table shows what a dramatic difference the new cabinetry has made in this kitchen! This view showcases the kitchen’s sleek new aesthetic. Sparse is the name of the game in this modern design. Clean, streamlined and simple, this soothingly minimal kitchen is a breath of fresh air. Below the island, we installed deep drawers in place of standard base cabinets, making it much easier to store and access items.
New engineered hardwood floors provide a beautiful canvas for the crisp, clean white cabinetry. The flooring delivers the look of wood without the worry of water damage and establishes warmth in the mostly white palette. Fresh white paint on the walls and ceiling and Cambria Montgomery countertops contribute to a much brighter room when compared to the former 80s kitchen.
Another subtle, yet effective change that made a huge impact is the lighting—we removed the fluorescent lights that were in the center of the kitchen ceiling. Strategically placed LED can lights were installed on the outside of the recessed box. These lights brightened up the newly updated kitchen. Fluorescent box lights were commonly installed back in the day, but they provided poor lighting and created shadows. The updated lighting really does make a big difference in look and functionality of the new kitchen!
Icy Ocean Stack- light blue and medium blue crackle glass was installed on the backsplash. It is a mosaic tile and is part of Elysium’s Icy Series collection. This selection added a beautiful, calming splash of color.
Overall, this project turned out beautifully. Now, Jackie and Wayne have the perfect Florida home for entertaining, complete with the kitchen of Jackie’s dreams.
I’d like to recognize everyone that worked on this project and helped to bring our client’s dream to life: Pucci Tile and Marble installed the tile backsplash and Imex Stone installed the countertops.
That’s a huge improvement! I’m wondering, however, if they do any cooking?😜. Minimal is nice and clean, but where will they store food? The thing that struck me right away is that the kitchen looked EXACTLY like my parents condo they had years ago! Exactly! It was on Placida Rd in Englewood. I’m guessing a lot of Condos look the same though. It tugged at my heart and made me miss them. I love the finishes you used…very clean and bright! Job well done yet again!
I appreciate your compliment. What a coincidence that this kitchen looks like the one your parents once had, minimal and clean. The beautiful brand new pantries is a perfect place for the homeowners to stock plenty of groceries. Your feedback means a lot, so thank you.