A Kitchen Focused on Family

Author: Susan

Having a space for their teenage kids to hang out after school, study and interact with Mom & Dad was at the top of the list for this remodel.

Location: Glen Ellyn, Illinois

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“If I had to do it all over again, the only thing I would change would be to have started sooner! After living for 13 years with the kitchen that came with our house, living with that kitchen became worse than the thought of living through a kitchen remodel. My husband and I work from home so the thought of living and working through a remodel that required walls to be removed, radiators to be relocated, wiring from the 1920s to be discovered was daunting. Susan and the staff at The Kitchen Studio were outstanding through our entire project. We needed more space but were not wanting to add on to our existing home. Susan’s patient listening and design creativity were apparent in the options we were presented to address our needs for more cabinet space in the kitchen, space for our growing boys and their friends to fit around a table, more counter space and have the new kitchen blend with the period of the home.  Details of the process were clearly communicated at the start of the project so we knew what to expect when. We had regular contact with Susan and Kari throughout the 3 months of our project on status and next steps. The contractors working with The Kitchen Studio are true craftsmen. Working from home during the project gave us the opportunity to see pride and care they take in their work. I love my new kitchen! Thank you Susan and everyone at The Kitchen Studio for the design and implementation of my happy kitchen.”

— Jean R.

The 1928 home, sits in a lovely Glen Ellyn neighborhood, near downtown and near all the action of the local high school and lake. It’s was a great house with great bones but the kitchen was in need of some TLC. The remodel project had been a long time coming, and since both the homeowners work from home, they had been nervous about disrupting their bustling daily schedules to get the project in motion.

Once we had a plan in place, we dug in and got to work. The first step was to remove a non-load bearing wall between the kitchen and dining room. We then reworked the space a bit, eliminating a redundant passage way to the hall, and reworking a closet to allow for a large galley style kitchen and small bar area open to the dining room.

The new kitchen has a small peninsula for the family to have casual meals and for the kids to hang out after school. A window was eliminated to give more space for cabinetry and storage, and another window was made larger to allow for a grander view into the backyard.

We decided upon a layered approach to this space to provide character appropriate to the older home. White painted cabinetry provides a backdrop for interesting touches such as gray herringbone tile, a reeded farmhouse sink and bronze hardware and lighting.

The bar has its own unique look featuring gray cabinetry with a patterned cement tile backsplash and walnut top. A bar fridge, glass cabinets and baskets for tucking away homework give this little multi-functional area loads of character.

A miniature mudroom area was also added to the dining room so that the new space can be kept neat and tidy.

The stylish result looks both appropriate to the 1928 home and provides loads of functionality for this active family that can now take advantage of every square inch their home.