When most people imagine their dream kitchen, they might think of ample workspaces, modern appliances, or plenty of gathering room, but for this Washington Township family, these luxuries were only the beginning of their kitchen remodel.
After meeting with an initial firm, the homeowners were armed with a set of plans for a new kitchen design, but felt the proposed layout was constricting and segmented their kitchen from the rest of their home. They instead wanted something that felt more integrated and cohesive, so they opted to bring in Josh Florkey and the Kircher Design and Build team to help bring their vision to life.
Opening things up
“One of our major goals was to remove unnecessary walls in order to make the kitchen feel bigger and more open than it really was,” Florkey explains. “The originally proposed plan had two islands, which closed the kitchen off from everything. We decided to build one large island in the center of the kitchen; what we lost in potential workspace was made up for in view and accessibility.”
The large island, complete with several storage drawers and seating for the whole family, cements the kitchen as a place for easy breakfasts, meal preparations, and late-night study sessions.
Clever solutions
Ample storage was a necessity for the homeowners, though traditional cabinetry didn’t quite cut it. “Typical base cabinetry design is a single drawer above with a door to a partial shelf below. This limits the accessibility of the cabinet storage. We purposefully incorporated base cabinets with large drawer storage to provide easy access to ample storage organization,” says Florkey. These storage drawers shelter several hidden amenities, including tray dividers, spice storage, cutlery and knife blocks.
One of the perimeter cabinets, however, was recessed in order to make room for the apron-front sink. This style of sink is well-suited for today’s kitchens; its ergonomic design leads to less strain on the user given its forward-facing orientation, eliminating the countertop barrier. It is slightly smaller than the more traditional farmhouse sink, but means the homeowners have access to more under-sink storage than they would otherwise.
The homeowners also valued the feel of a clean kitchen, so traditional outlets needed to be rethought. Most outlets can easily be hidden on the bottom of cabinets, but the lack of cabinetry on the full wall of windows meant hidden, pop-out outlets were essential for keeping countertops clear.
Space was borrowed from a largely unused closet to allow room for a dry bar, complete with floating shelves, shiplap on the walls and ceiling, and the family’s favorite drink machines.
The homeowners loved their pantry but wanted to replace its inconvenient location with something more fitting for the new space. They opted to combine their existing pantry and adjacent utility closet, removing non-load bearing walls to create a new pantry, seamlessly hidden behind a cabinet façade that matched the rest of their kitchen.
Bringing the outdoors in
The family’s home is accompanied by a beautiful backyard and deck, which is one of their favorite places to gather and entertain. Given their affinity for the outdoors, they wanted their kitchen to reflect some of the natural features they loved most.
A large window and windowsill rests above the sink overlooking their backyard, with enough space to store small plants for an extra dose of sunlight. The quartz countertops all feature veining that plays off the natural elements of the outdoors, adding dimension to the space without competing with other features.
Touches of texture
Outside of functionality, the homeowners also wanted a design that balanced today’s top trends with personal touches, resulting in a contemporary space with pops of rustic elements.
“White is everything,” Florkey states, remarking on the modern desire for crisp, clean homes. “But that doesn’t mean things need to be boring. When you take a monochromatic design and add texture, the space feels deeper and more intentional.”
Warm woods
The real dimension comes from the wooden infusions throughout the kitchen, first playing on the existing hardwood floors and then incorporated throughout the space. The island is stained a deep brown, bringing a warmer, inviting feel to the kitchen. The wood tones of the island are mirrored in the ceiling, again contrasting the potential monotony of white complete with low-voltage LED lighting to further define the space.
The stainless-steel light fixtures mimic other finishes infused throughout the kitchen, while lighting in the top cabinets extends the eye across their full height.
This kitchen remodel helps modernize the family’s kitchen, with elements that stand out today and will work for their family as their sons continue to grow and establish their own lives.
“The finished kitchen is spacious, yet purposeful,” Florkey shares. “The layout incorporates all the family’s top priorities, but the design is cohesive enough that the eye isn’t drawn to one particular thing. It all works together.”
RESOURCES
Contractor Kircher Design & Build Designer Joshua D. Florkey, CKBR Kitchen cabinetry Great Northern Cabinetry, Kircher Design & Build Countertops MSI Surfaces, KBR Backsplash Mythology Santorini Wave Crest, Daltile Sink Houzer, Ferguson Faucets Moen, Ferguson Dishwasher, cooktop, refrigerator, freezer, oven, built-in microwave, Thermador from Kitchens.Inspired. Beverage center Frigidaire from Kitchens.Inspired. Pantry closet system EasyTrack from The Stow Company Decorative hardware Atlas Homewares, Top Knobs Pendants Miseno Windows Pella
Article by Sydne Santo | Photos by Daniel Feldkamp
Article originally appeared in May 2024