“I thought about it for twelve years. It’s something we always knew we wanted to do,” explains this Dublin homeowner on remodeling her family’s kitchen. It was just recently, as the couple’s four children entered bustling teenage years, that she says their desire grew into a need, “We realized it as our kids got older and bigger and we were always in that space. The flow wasn’t great, and the pantry was tiny, we could never keep enough in it.”
The couple chose Dave Fox Design-Build Remodelers to redesign their kitchen space to accommodate their evolving family needs. “From our first point of contact, we discussed their needs and wants, how they live in the space, what they love, hate, and how to make it better,” explains design consultant Gregg Stadwick of the Dave Fox team. Interior designer Sam Magee adds, “Increasing pantry storage and improving functionality were key to meet the needs of this large family.”
Added function
The original pantry was a standard closet-style design with French doors that couldn’t hold the volume the family had grown to need. The solution to the space constraint was a new addition on the side of the house specifically for a new butler’s pantry. Discreetly connected off the kitchen with a pocket door, the new pantry is a spacious and stylish separate oasis for organizing and housing food and appliances. Plus, it serves as a coffee bar. “We’re big coffee drinkers, so we enjoy having all of our coffee stuff there,” says the homeowner. “Also just being able to carry groceries in there and take appliances off the counter and store them there, it all helps keep the kitchen counters and lines clean.”
The old kitchen had separate refrigerator and freezer units located on opposite sides, making access to them awkward and cumbersome. A new combined side-by-side Sub-Zero replaced the separate units and is housed behind the new island to streamline access. “I was making a lot of trips around the kitchen to get to the refrigerator and freezer, and now it’s so much better having them in one place,” the homeowner remarks.
Directional shift
Reorientation of the island to extend toward the living room allowed it to gain additional length and improve its functionality. A second kitchen sink was added along with more seating so the family could easily gather and eat together. The island’s curved edge adds visual interest while aiding flow on that side.
The look of the kitchen transformed from a dark wood style to a brighter more modern look with new custom transom cabinetry, extending to the ceiling, painted Sherwin-Williams Egret White. The dark hardwood floor was refinished to its natural, lighter color. “I wasn’t sure what shade to do on the floor,” the homeowner explains. “Once it was stripped, I loved it with nothing on it, so we kept the wood in its natural state.” The stain color on the new island was pulled from the darkest shade in the refinished floor, achieving a smooth blend of tones between the island and floor.
The family now enjoys all the style and ease of their new kitchen and pantry. Stadwick reflects on the project, “She knew her style, and for us it was how to execute that style into the space that she had.” The homeowner concludes, “I love it. We all love it. It flows better, it has so much more space for us. It’s just what we wanted.”
RESOURCES Contractor Dave Fox Design-Build Remodelers Design consultant Gregg Stadwick Interior designer Sam Magee Cabinetry Custom Wood Products Countertops Cambria Ironsbridge from Midwest Quartz Co. Backsplash Soho Studio Myorka from Florida Tile Sink Ruvati Workstation Ledge sink; Delta Emmeline faucet; Insinkerator kitchen disposal with SinkTop Switch; all from Ferguson Appliances ASKO dishwasher; GE Cafe range; Sub-Zero refrigerator and freezer; Faber range hood; Sharp microwave; all from Custom Distributors, Inc. Water Filter Mountain Plumbing Products Windows Pella Windows Hardware Griggs Handles from Top Knobs
Article by Susan Zingraf | Photos by Jeff Johnson, JL Johnson Photography
Article originally appeared in May 2023