Kitchen Remodel Spotlight: Mission Accomplished!

Posted by Ben Thompson on 12.9.17

This desperately dark kitchen was suffering from a lack of light, storage and a poor layout. The main source of light was provided by a decades old ceiling fan, the refrigerator blocked the main traffic path to and from the living room, and a sliding door was taking up prime real estate that could be used for storage.

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Mission style kitchen remodel

Our clients have lovingly cared for this home for 16 years. In this small home, space was at a premium and the couple wanted to update this poorly functioning kitchen to match the rest of their Arts & Crafts style home.

Key requirements of this kitchen remodel design included:

  • Improved lighting
  • Better traffic pattern
  • More storage
  • Incorporating the Pewabic tile the clients loved

Kitchen Remodel Story

IMPROVED LIGHTING

A new lighting plan for the kitchen included:
  • Three pendants over the new island
  • Pendant lighting over the sink
  • Recessed lights throughout
  • Under cabinet lighting

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BETTER TRAFFIC PATTERN

The refrigerator was moved from the main walkway to a perimeter wall. Its new location creates one point in the now smaller working triangle. Prep space was previously scarce and the new island allows two to work in the kitchen without one getting trapped in the corner.

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MORE STORAGE

A new island supplies storage that was non-existent before and it creates a place for people to sit and connect. Although we replaced a slider with a door, we added a pantry cabinet which was also new storage the kitchen did not previously have. Bulkheads were removed allowing cabinets to extend to the ceiling.

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INCORPORATING PEWABIC TILE

Pewabic tile is handcrafted stoneware clay tile that is made in Detroit with a history dating back to 1903. Our clients fell in love with this tile years ago and used it on the landing of their staircase and wanted to incorporate it into the kitchen design. We decided to let this gorgeous tile take center stage by creating an eye-catching backsplash. The flooring also incorporates details that connect back to the Pewabic tiles used on the walls.

kitchen remodel pewabic tile

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OVERALL RESULTS

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The remodeled kitchen has improved the feel of the whole first floor. A clear pathway runs from the living room through the kitchen and from the kitchen into the dining room. A new island supplies much needed storage and provides a place for people to eat casual meals and hang out. The new lighting plan brightened not only the kitchen, but also the adjacent rooms. Now, with the kitchen completed, the whole house has a cohesive Arts & Crafts aesthetic - Mission Accomplished!
 
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“The kitchen design is everything we hoped it would be. It’s a reflection of our tastes – it’s us. Our designer really understood what we liked and how to make the kitchen fit with the look of the rest of the house.” “What do we love? Lighting, lighting, lighting! The Pewabic backsplash! The storage additions. The overall look - it’s new, but it looks & feels like it could have been original to the house.” – Homeowner
 
 
 
 

Topics: kitchen remodel, kitchen remodel grand rapids mi, kitchen remodeling, thompsonremodeling.com, Thompson Remodeling, thompson remodeling grand rapids mi