Kitchen - Before

Our original kitchen was servicable but outdated and looking timeworn, with a teal tile floor and laminate countertops. Most of the appliances were at the end of their lifespans as well.

After considerable redecorating throughout the rest of the house, the kitchen just didn't "fit" any longer. It was time to update and bring the kitchen up to par with the rest of the house.

An adjacent bathroom was in the same condition as the kitchen and needed updating as well.

Kitchen - Transformed

A re-design of the space included the elimination of an existing back hallway which allowed for widening of the kitchen by about 3 feet. This made room for a large central island and a new french door leading to an expanded deck, providing direct access to the outdoors and letting in much more light.

The range was shifted to center stage and is now a focal point in the room with its decorative hood and lovely tile backsplash.

The new island allows for plenty of seating and houses both the dishwasher and double pull-out trash bins hidden behind cabinetry-paneled doors as well as an extra-large, deep stainless steel sink.

The old tile flooring was replaced with new solid oak throughout, which tied in with the existing flooring on the rest of the first floor.

The colors are now earthy and warm, with mocha-colored walls accentuating creamy off-white cabinetry and beautiful granite countertops. The look is both sophisticated and elegant.

Special Touches Make the Room

It is nearly impossible to tell that this isn't a freestanding furniture piece but it is in fact custom cabinetry that was created with a specific purpose in mind.

The cabinetry on this wall was designed to recreate the look of an antique hutch and the striking black color was chosen to showcase our French Provence pottery collection with its colors of gold, green and red.

The hutch top was constructed from wide-board antique reclaimed pine and the antique-look brown ceramic knobs with bronze backplates worked perfectly to tie it all together.

The hutch contains lots of large drawers and storage underneath for over-sized platters and serving pieces.

More information on the antique wood countertop can be found at www.westbarnstabletables.com which also makes beautiful custom tables and other furniture from antique woods of many species.

A Place For Everything...

This side of the kitchen performs many functions...from the wine bar with its display cabinet for wine glasses and undercounter wine refrigerator, to the appliance garages that hide stand mixers, blenders, etc.

There's also a flat-screen TV hiding behind a flip-up door over the microwave so we can watch TV while sitting at the island.

To the right, the upper cabinets hold glassware and dishes and the lower extra-large, extra-deep drawers are the perfect easy access place to store staples such as rices, pastas, snacks, etc. These drawers also house larger appliances such as blenders, crockpots, etc.

Everything In Its Place...

The new six burner gas range allows for plenty of cooking space when we host large family get-togethers or entertain our friends.

The framed checkerboard backsplash designed in a beautiful off-white and tan hand-glazed tile compliments both the color of the cabinetry and the wall color and combined with the beautiful mantle-style hood add so much warmth to the overall look of the room.

Lower cabinets to the right of the range are fitted with dividers to house cookie sheets, cutting boards, etc., while those to the left open to reveal double-wide interior full extension rollout drawers which hold pots and pans, as well as glass cookware and bakeware.

Often under-used space in the corner beneath the window is fitted with large full-extension corner swingout shelves.

Bright under-cabinet halogen fixtures add plenty of task lighting.

Time For A Change Here, Too...

Previously, the bathroom was down a hallway and around a corner, easily accessible only to the garage and back yard. As with many hallways, it was wasted space that would be more valuable when better utilized as part of a room.

There was a tight squeeze between the shower and the vanity and the first thing a visitor would see upon entering the room was the vanity and toilet.

The same outdated tile that was in the kitchen ran all the way down the hall into the bathroom.

This is an important bathroom since it is the only one on the first floor and as such functions as both a powder room when we are entertaining and also as a guest bath for an adjacent bedroom, so it needed to work well for both functions as well as be attractive.

A New Look for the Guest Bath

The bathroom was moved over into the space formerly occupied by the back hallway and reconfigured, providing more privacy, better sight lines, and easier access.

Upon entering, guests are now greeted by a beautiful vanity and a mirror softly lit by pretty sconces, with the new large shower just off to the left while the toilet is now tucked around the corner.

The walls are a rich warm chocolate brown which shows off to great advantage the travertine floor and countertop and compliments the espresso-colored maple cabinetry. Bright nickel fixtures and fittings add a bit of sparkle and formality.

The beautiful new custom tile shower with glass enclosure and polished nickel fixtures complete the look.

In Conclusion...

We couldn't be happier with the end result of our kitchen and bath renovation. The finished kitchen has a subtle elegance about it that invites you in.

The kitchen space has been transformed from ordinary and outdated into a fabulous and beautifully functional eat-in space with an abundance of storage. The layout lends itself easily to both cooking as well as entertaining.

Concept through completion was provided by www.artisankitchensinc.com a full service design and remodeling firm located on Cape Cod, MA.