Summer was just about over the first time I enthusiastically entered Richard’s home. We spoke on the phone prior to my visit. He told me there had been an unfortunate leak in his kitchen and now he was dealing with his insurance company.
Once upon a time, my late son and his beloved dog lived with me. I remember Beck, an English Setter, was always bursting with energy. He was naturally happy and very affectionate. He greeted people with a wagging tail and lots of licks. Beck was a loyal and sweet dog who wanted to be included in all aspects of our family life. Anywhere we went Beck was happily tagging along.
Flash forward to when I first entered Richard’s lovely home. A rescue dog, a medium-sized short-haired dog, with his upturned tail always seemed to want to be right next to Richard’s side. As we started to discuss the water damage, another dog appeared. This one was the one his granddaughter found wandering on a heavily congested road while she was out walking her own dog. She tied her dog’s leash to a post to save the other dog from being hit by the speeding cars. When they couldn’t locate the owners, Richard took the second dog in. Then before I knew it, another dog appeared. This third one I learned was from a no-kill shelter. Having lost his wife five years ago, these three rescue dogs were the most comforting beings for Richard to have around.
The water damage not only caused havoc to the cabinets, but the water also spread to the laminate flooring. Unfortunately the floating floor in the adjoining great room was ruined as well. Damage like this might feel overwhelming to know where to start. This is where I came in. Richard did not want a “full-gut” remodel job. He wanted to keep the costs realistic. He basically just wanted a “pull-and-replace” kitchen. That means Just Counters & other stuff would pull out the old cabinets, countertops, and backsplash, and replace them with new materials in the same location. Because no plumbing would be moved or any appliances being replaced, it would keep the cost down considerably. When I designed the floor plan and created 3D renderings I positioned three medium-sized dogs into the design.
Let’s pause here for a moment. I want to discuss a center stile. What is this? Well, a center stile is a strip of wood that vertically divides a cabinet opening. A center stile is often found in large double doors or wide cabinet spaces. Unlike rails, which are horizontal, a center stile provides vertical support. It is usually placed in the center of the opening to help support the frame’s weight, and stop any possibility of bowing. However, carpenters and cabinet manufacturers now use more durable materials for construction, so center stiles are not always necessary. Since center stiles can interfere with storage, Richard really didn’t want the nuisance of trying to get to something that is behind the stile. When I designed Richard’s kitchen, I made sure each door opens to a separate space with no wood stile blocking the shelf or storage.
A pull-and-replace kitchen can be completed with less design assistance than a complex renovation. Richard’s grown granddaughter eagerly helped her grandfather with selections. They selected Aspect Cabinetry “White Rock” stain on red oak for the kitchen’s perimeter and red oak wood with “Gravelstone” stain on the island. While in pursuit of finding the ideal color of granite that would best suit the dual cabinet combination colors they found the perfect slab from Stone Art Creations. The color is called “Rocky Mountain.”
The easiest way to add drama and intrigue to your kitchen backsplash is to play around with different geometrically shaped and patterned tiles. Is there anything a marble backsplash can’t do for a kitchen? Seemingly not, as seen in this breath-taking backsplash design that Richard and his granddaughter selected. Pucci Tile & Marble installed the stunning tile backsplash.
Richard repurposed his old cabinets and countertops. Rather than just tossing the used materials into a landfill, Richard decided to have some of the cabinets installed in his garage, along with portions of the old countertops. It’s a simple and inexpensive option for your old cabinets that can add tons of storage in your garage.
Just Counter & other stuffs’ talented team, Tommy McCaffrey and Daniel Miller, did a wonderful job installing the cabinets and trim work. If you have a kitchen, bathroom, laundry room, home office, or closet that needs to be recused (did you see what I did?), then you have come to the right place. We can help transform any space.
Let me finish by wishing you a wonderful, happy, safe, peaceful, and healthy 2022.
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