More Photos: White Kitchen Remodel

Last week I showed you all some before & after photos of a recent project I designed.  Now that you've all got a sense of the significant layout changes involved in this design, I thought I'd post more of the after photos and details.

the Lemans corner system (see it in action here).  I love this thing!

pull-out spice rack

roll-out pantry shelves

faucet operated by foot-pedals (my client is a surgeon and wants to keep everything sanitary!)

Sometimes you need to custom-design an entire cabinet for very specific pieces.  Everything needs to have its place, right?

Before & After: White Kitchen Remodel

I'm really proud of the outcome of this kitchen remodel.  It's beautiful and bright and just plain happy.  But you don't get the full sense of this space until you see before photos and realize the major layout changes that made this kitchen what it is.

The large opening shown above used to be this brick wall:

The powder room (the closed white door to the left) used to be straight off the kitchen, directly across from the refrigerator: 

Now the powder room (still in the same location) is in a corridor just off the kitchen:

The doorway location from the dining room (to the right in the photo) prevented any deep base cabinets, and therefore the space by the window wasn't very functional: 

Now the doorway has been relocated to the right side of that wall, allowing for a working kitchen uninterrupted by traffic flow:

Quite a difference, huh?  Not to mention the layout aspects you can't see - how we made sure each cabinet was as functional as possible, so everything had it's place.  More after photos to come in another post...

Architect:  Tom Buese

Contractor:  Sam Sampinos 

Another Beautiful White Kitchen

I recently subscribed to House Beautiful and got my first issue this week.  I've been drooling over all of the photos and recipes, but this one most of all:

This kitchen is in a Manhattan residence designed by architect Alexander Gorlin and interior designer Garrow Kedigian (photograph by Pieter Estersohn).  It has the classic and oh-so-trendy elements of white cabinets with Calacatta Gold marble countertops, but the design of the cabinet doors is completely unique (inspired by the grids in the windows).  The cabinet doors tie in really well with the geometric designs on the 18th-century Chinese bamboo chairs as well as the Greek motifs seen elsewhere in fabrics and rugs throughout the home (see "Urban Renewal" in the February 2011 issue of House Beautiful for more photos).

My only complaint is a general complaint I always have.  Somewhere in this process there was a Kitchen Designer who helped all of these ideas come together seamlessly in a custom cabinet layout.  This kitchen designer likely spent hours turning the architect & interior designer's plans into something that would actually work with the dimensions, appliances, plumbing fixtures, and any special client requests for storage needs.  This is a Manhattan kitchen, and therefore it's likely small.  Maximizing space is critical, which makes the job of the kitchen designer that much more important.  So, to the nameless kitchen designer for this project and all other kitchen designers who don't get credit for their work... Well done!

Simple and Fun

Check out this kitchen from Lonnymag.  If you strip it down, you're basically looking at a boring and outdated 80's style white kitchen with laminate countertops and ugly old appliances.  Oh, and don't forget the honey oak accent strips! Looks like many of the galley condo and apartment kitchens I saw when I lived in DC.

But, add black (chalkboard) paint to the ceiling & walls, a snazzy light fixture, and a giant fork print, and you don't really notice the ugly cabinets and countertops anymore, do you?  

One Of My Favorite Kitchen Projects

Back when I lived in Washington DC, while working at Case Design / Remodeling, I had the chance to work with a wonderful client on what turned into a whole-house remodel.  To this day, their kitchen is still one of my favorite projects.

I love the mix of white cabinets, carrera marble and lagos blue limestone countertops, and the subway tile.  And the tile floor really sets it all off.  I have to give credit to my client for the floor, as I was worried it might be too busy but she pushed for it, and it looks fantastic!