10 Great Kitchens

Kitchen Design and Cabinetry: Metro Kitchens Countertops: Double C Tile: Sunderland Brothers Co. Appliances: Factory Direct Appliance Photo by Paul Bonnichsen

Staying but Changing

Ron and Chris Hanna, a Liberty couple, were looking for a new house last year. When they couldn’t find one that fit their price range, style or preferred neighborhood, they gave their own home a second look. It was only four years old, but already could have used an upgraded kitchen. On the plus side, Ron had just completed a large deck off the kitchen and filled it in with lush landscaping. They decided to stay.

Amber Schmidtke a designer at Metro Kitchens and Baths helped them with the redesign. First, they moved out a built-in desk that was a catch-all for clutter. In its place, they added full-length pantry doors. Overhanging countertops couldn’t actually be used as bar seating so they ripped that out and installed an island instead; kitchen dining moved to a pub-height table and chairs in front of the sliding glass doors, with the added bonus of a view of Ron’s creative landscaping. Around the corner, the Hannas added a niche with a cabinet and countertop. Chris considered making it a bar, but thought bookshelves for her cookbooks would be a better use of space.

Using what space they had became a priority since the kitchen didn’t have too much space to spare. Schmidtke included pull-outs behind almost every cabinet for easy reaching and spice drawers on the side of the sink.

The Hannas’ appliance wish list started with double ovens, which Chris wanted for cooking Thanksgiving dinners, and a warming drawer. She also picked out a Kitchen Aid microwave whose door pulls down rather than swings wide, one reason the Hannas went with an entire Kitchen Aid package.

Design-wise, a barn red hood by Omega with a coffee glaze is the focal point of the room. Metal glass tiles in the backsplash also help draw the eye toward it. Surrounding cabinets by Kemper are a butternut color with a coffee glaze and envelop the room in a warm glow.

The Hannas originally wanted granite countertops, but Schmidtke showed them a Cambria quartz top that had all the colors in the room in it. They did choose a granite composite sink from Blanco.

Staying and remodeling rather than starting over was a smart decision for the Hannas. Their next project is converting the unused formal living room into a dining room.

Kitchen Design and Cabinetry: British Traditions, Inc. Home builder: Mack Colt Homes Countertops and fabrication: Alfastone Tile: Acme Brick Pendant: Arte de Mexico/Wilson Lighting Backsplash: STI Stone Plumbing: Fred Pflumm Plumbing Pulls: British Traditions, Inc. Stone: Double E Restoration (Ft. Scott) Appliances: Nebraska Furniture Mart Photo by Paul Bonnichsen

Mixed Message

Mike and Christy Higgins are still waiting on the formal dining room set to arrive to their new Lee’s Summit home, but their kitchen is already getting quite a workout. (You could actually argue the same for the empty dining room, which the couple’s daughters use as a ballroom!)

Christy, a stay-at-home mom and a woman who loves to cook, had to have a functional work space. Beauty was secondary but still a high priority. Describing herself as “a real homebody,” she wanted a knock-out reason for her friends and family to drive to their 15-acre property.

“I knew what I wanted, but I was getting frustrated because I couldn’t find it,” she explains.

Having previously purchased furniture from British Traditions, a locally owned, nationally recognized custom cabinet and furniture manufacturer, Christy knew the company could get her the same quality and style in cabinetry. British Traditions designer Kathy Davis worked with them for about two months to make the kitchen feel “large and light, but rich at the same time.”

They accomplished that with a mixture of glazes and finishes on the cabinets and island, distressed beams in the ceiling and a tile floor that looks like brick. Of course, lighting was a huge consideration and aided the open feel. South-facing windows flood the room with natural daylight, but a diverse lighting plan spotlights certain areas. Christy’s favorite is the pendant over the island, with its iron frame and amber-colored shades.

The kitchen’s opulence is made up of a series of details, from the finished end panels to the furniture-like toe kicks. An appliance garage hides the toaster and coffee maker. Cabinets that butt into the ceiling offer more storage and less cleaning. Even the antique white finish on the cabinets is a little bit deeper around the edges to give it definition. But the stone hood is a stand-out. Grand and heavy, and supported by hefty decorative corbels, the piece anchors the room.

Just think: If the Higgins’ had their dining room furniture, they wouldn’t get to enjoy the view of their kitchen nearly as much. Instead, they eat at a breakfast table nearby, with a view of the countryside to boot!

Kitchen Design and Cabinets: Portfolio Kitchen & Home
Contractor: Kelstar, Inc.
Tile: Tile & Stone
Red glass: URO Glass
Window treatments: MLB Designs
Chairs and table base: Unique Furniture Options
Flowers: Dan Meiners Studio
Photos by James Maidhof

Red Hot Kitchen Design

Larry and Linda Seckington, residents of Parkway Towers, love condo living. “It’s so convenient being on the Plaza, there’s no yard work and the doormen are wonderful,” Linda gushes.

Urban living definitely has its pluses — not to mention the view. The Seckingtons’ 12th floor penthouse overlooks midtown and downtown three directions. The atmosphere simply begged for a modern interior that would take advantage. And Linda was more than happy to oblige. She prefers modern style because “there’s less clutter and it looks sharp.”

But what they had included neither. A concrete wall separated the kitchen from the rest of the space and featured white laminate cabinets and dated appliances. They had just redecorated their living room when they decided to splurge on a new kitchen. As workmen carried away former elements of the existing kitchen, the Seckingtons were left to grill dinner on the patio and wash dishes in the Jacuzzi.

It paid off in the end, though. David Zebley of Portfolio Kitchen & Home, formerly Kitchenworks, designed a smashing kitchen using clean-lined Keralta Group cabinetry in a grey oak finish, topped with Flint Black Cambria quartz countertops. Matching grey Italian slate carries through from the front entrance through the kitchen; hardwood floors separate the dining room and bar area.

The Seckingtons’ son is “the artistic one in the family,” Linda says, and told his parents they needed to pick up the red color they used in the living room and carry it into the kitchen. Taking his advice, they included red parapan cabinets from NY Loft for their china and stemware on a wall opposite the kitchen, one over the sink as an accent and then recreated the shiny look by having a cut-out piece of glass that fits on the countertop painted red on the back to match.

A metal appliance garage hides the clutter Linda wanted to avoid. “Quiet close” drawers shut without a bang. She also saved and enhanced space with a Blanco garbage disposal button next to the faucet rather than a switch on the wall. But her favorite detail is the phone niche her contractor cut into the wall, complete with its own electrical outlet for charging the phone.

One final item of note is the Bosch dishwasher Linda had installed. Bosch leads the industry in water conservation, which is important to the environmentally conscious Linda, who also recycles once a week.

Kitchen Design: Classic Kitchens
Contractor: FHI (Jeff Foster)
Cabinets: Wood Mode
Stone hood: ADI
Hood glaze: Surfaces
Tile: Steve Knox Gallery
Floor: Armstrong Flooring
Appliances: Contractors Appliance
Countertops: STI Stone
Stone fabricator and tile work: Mike Brown
Hardware: Top Knobs
Pendant light: Wilson Lighting Locks & Fans
Wallpaper: Rob Wood
Photos by James Maidhof

Water to Wine

A leaky pipe in a bathroom gave the owners of this Mission Hills home a flood of ideas that jumpstarted a 13-year remodeling project.

At first, Ron and Laurie Barnds were just going to rip out the shower, but as most remodels seem to go, it snowballed until they had plans for increasing the size of the dining room; an addition including a bedroom, a bathroom and a sitting room; raised ceilings, and of course, a new kitchen.

Major remodeling took place over four years, one of which the family of five had to move out.

Now, after a year of nestling in, the Barnds are thrilled with their home, especially the kitchen and adjacent sitting area. “This is where everybody is all the time,” Laurie says.

The floor plan changed several times, both Laurie and her designer Pam Vernon of Classic Kitchens admit, but they wanted to fit numerous ideas and amenities into the space.

To do so, Vernon designed a partition between the kitchen and the dining room — with access on both sides — that created storage and pantry space on the kitchen side and a butler’s pantry and wine tasting area on the other.

The Barnds, wine connoisseurs who love to entertain friends and family, bought a tall wine unit to keep their collection of wines at constant temperatures. Lighted cabinets with glass fronts display their stemware.

The family is one that actually uses its nice dishes — and its dining room.

“I’ve always felt so strong about our dining room. We really use it,” Laurie notes.

With 15 extra inches, new crown molding and colorful wallpaper, the dining room is a formal yet utilized showpiece for the Barnds. 

But the kitchen island is the real dinner table.

Rounded on one side to match the many archways throughout the house, the island allows everyone to see whom they’re talking to, Vernon says.

Its soft and decorative ogee edge is a perfect complement to the base’s creamy glaze and the light color on the hood directly opposite the island.

The perimeter cabinets are cherry with panels over the appliances for a uniform look.

The Barnds enjoy their many amenities, including two dishwashers, a trash compactor, a Wolf range with six burners and a grill, and Sub-Zero refrigeration.

These high-end goods have come a long way from their leaky shower — now the only thing showing up on the floor is the red spotlight from the dishwasher that lets you know it’s running. 

Kitchen Design: Kitchens by Kleweno
Home Builder: Kraft Building Co.
Interior Designer: Jamey Bellamy
Original Art: Prairiebrook Gallery
Lights: Charthouse/Visual Comfort
Sinks: Rachiele
Faucets: Kallista
Appliances: Sub-Zero
Flowers: Dan Meiners Studio
Photos by James Maidhof

Colonial is King

When building their southern Overland Park home, Dr. Brad and Kelly Davis knew they wanted a traditional kitchen, but they didn’t fancy the heavily European styles that are so popular in the market.

Instead, Kelly says, they “bucked the trend” and settled on a Colonial look.
 
The stained wood cabinets and distressed beams give the entire space a cohesive warmth that can be felt as soon as walking into the room.

Even the island top is made of teak.

“Usually there’s so much going on around here that I wanted more continuity,” Kelly explains.

With four children between the ages of 3 and 8, and a busy doctor for a husband, Kelly can use the calmest atmosphere she can get.

Two painted cabinets flanking the stove and hood are the only cabinets that diverge from the warmer palette.

One other breakaway includes the pops of color from the original artwork hanging between cabinets on the focal wall.

This design element occurred to all early in the process.

“The thinking behind the art was that so much of the wall is taken up with cabinets that there’s no room for color,” says Randall Sisk, the Davis’ kitchen designer and owner of Kitchens by Kleweno.

He found one tulip painting at Prairiebrook Gallery that was the right size and color and had a second commissioned.

Green from the plant’s stem matches the Verde granite on the perimeter base cabinets.

In fact, many of the Davis’ selections for the kitchen are natural products.

The floor is rustic cherry with a walnut stain and the backsplash behind the stove is limestone.

Oblong tiles making the shape of flowers decorate the inset.

While the massive wood mantel garnishes attention, two wall cabinets alongside a window to the sun porch subtly make their own statement.

More like freestanding pieces, each one features leaded glass, even on the end panels.

Kelly says that it was tougher to find products that were exactly the style she was looking for, especially when it came to light fixtures, but that it all pulled together.

“I love the finished product,” she comments.

Kitchen Design: Regarding Kitchens
Cabinets: Wood-Mode
Granite Countertops: Top Master
Light Fixtures: Quorum
Solid Wood: Craft Art
Tile: Jeffrey Court at Central States Tile
Plumbing: Danze at Regarding Kitchens
Appliances: Regarding Kitchens
Photos by Bob Greenspan

A Fantastic Fluke

In one of life’s coincidental moments, Joe and Kelly Cannova met Bev and Bruce Gilbert of Regarding Kitchens while getting into their car outside of a private party they didn’t have an invitation to. The Gilberts, getting out of their car, told the couple they could “crash” the party as their guests. While hanging out inside, Joe discovered that Bev was a kitchen designer and that he had already been given her name and number to call for his own kitchen remodel. Obviously, she got the job. Everything from then on was planned.

The Cannovas’ project consisted of a complete change of direction for their Leawood residence. The 25-year-old home featured black granite tops and cherry cabinets in the kitchen, which were “too serious looking,” Gilbert describes. And while the existing space appeared to have everything the family of four would need, with two walk-in pantries, a half-bath and a laundry room, it was chopped up and far from the rustic retreat the Cannovas envisioned.

Gilbert redesigned the floor plan to relocate the laundry to the second floor between the children’s bedrooms, remove a hallway to greatly increase the size of the kitchen and build in a mud room and desk area. A cozy reading nook  was created under an existing outdoor roof overhang.

Originally, the Cannovas wanted lots of wood for a warm country look, choosing knotty pine for their cabinets, which Gilbert quickly talked them out of and steered them toward natural knotty cherry, a more sophisticated wood in which the knots are tighter and harder, and the grain is straighter. They also decided on a two-inch-thick slab of solid walnut for a table that adjoins the substantial-size island, and patched in and refinished the original hardwood floors. 

They had only just begun looking at tile for their backsplash when they happened to glimpse samples in Gilbert’s office that she was planning to use in her own home. You could call it another serendipitous moment, because that is the exact tile they didn’t know they always wanted. Installed to the ceiling and with a subtle grey-green grout, the mixed honed slate and polished marble tiles are a standout in the room. Other wonderful accents include the indoor lanterns over the island and the lighted display cabinets.

By no accident, the Cannovas got everything they wanted and more.  
 

Kitchen Design: Euston Kitchen Company Contractor: Ryan Harnack Paint: Rare Gray, Sherwin-Williams Slate Tiles: Central States Tile Quartz Island Top: Oxford by Cambria Perimeter countertops: Richlite Photo by James Maidhof

Earthy and Earth-Friendly

Ryan and Linda Harnack’s 1980s house had a kitchen that was stuck in that decade. While other areas of their home had been remodeled, their kitchen cabinets, chairs, floors and even the rim of the fluorescent lights maintained their oak overload. After living with it for more than 20 years, the couple decided it was time for a remodel.

 When Kathy Euston of Euston Kitchen Company inspected the space, she saw that not only was it outdated, it was dysfunctional. “There was a lot of space, but it wasn’t used well,” she explains. “There was dead space and no counter space.”

A peninsula separated the room from its main entrance and became “a great trash collector,” according to Linda. It had bar seating, but it was across the room from the cook’s workspace. And a doorway to a laundry room and half-bath in the middle of a wall meant traffic flowed right through the middle of the kitchen.

To remedy the situation, Euston completely rearranged the floor plan, moving a wall and relocating the laundry room. New glazed light maple cabinets with simple Shaker fronts increased storage space. An island replaced the peninsula but kept room for seating. Its base cabinets are made of lyptus, a combination of South American mahogany and eucalyptus, which grows in 13 years as opposed to oak, which grows in 40 years.

A slate backsplash has the same earthy quality as the couple’s collection of pottery, much of it sculpted by Ryan’s brother. And a new, green material to the Midwest called Richlite was employed for the countertop. Linda, “the mother of research,” found it at Euston’s showroom. Made of paper and resin, it’s cultivated from trees from managed forests. Popular on the West Coast, Richlite’s warm and smooth look has won over homeowners there looking for alternative tops. The Harnacks chose black, but it’s available in seven colors. The tops will scratch, Ryan notes, but he says he will appreciate its eventual patina.

“You either like it or you don’t,” he says. The Harnacks love it; they love the whole new look and function of their kitchen.

Kitchen Design: Deatherage Home Designs Remodeling Contractor: Metzler Remodeling   Cabinets: Altenhofen Cabinetry   Appliances: Factory Direct Appliance  Aga Range: Kitchens by Kleweno   Plumbing Fixtures: Dorfman Plumbing   Ceramic Tile: Sunderland Brothers/RBC Tile Tile Installation: Shaughan Sprague Countertops: Top Master    Light Fixtures: R&R Electrical Services  Plumbing: D&D Plumbing   Millwork: Pacific Mutual Door Co.  Hardwood Flooring: Kenny’s Tile & Flooring  Painter: Aaron Handy Painting   Organic Ironworks: George Rousis Cabinetry & Door hardware: Locks & Pulls Photos by Steve Swalwell

Like it's Always Been There

Even though Joe and Janet Palmentere raised their children in this South Kansas City home, the time came to make it suit the family on a different level — more room for larger family dinners on Sundays, holiday gatherings with grandchildren, and entertaining.

 Expansion would require reconfiguring many of the home’s spaces, including the old kitchen, a play room, laundry closet, powder room and back entrance. Janet wanted the space to incorporate a large center island, a generous dining area, large professional-grade appliances, a connection to a sunny family room and good flow between indoors and out.

Billie Deatherage-Doran, CKD, of Deatherage Home Designs, took up the challenge.

“They wanted it to feel unique and look like it had always been there,” Deatherage-Doran says.
The first thing that makes it look so is the 48” Aga range that is the centerpiece of the room. The pewter-colored British cooker maintains different temperatures in separate chambers and generally requires a chef to re-learn how to cook. The Palmenteres’ companion cooker acts as “the crutch for people learning how to cook,” Deatherage-Doran explains.

Surrounding the cooking area is white subway tiles that gives the hood a subtly stylish, classic look. Bisazza mosaic tiles in coral, copper and rust add a punch of sophisticated color to the backsplash. Complementing the tile is a copper apron-front sink, soapstone countertops in a matte finish, stained squares on the hardwood floors, and three distinct finishes on the cabinets: walnut on the Sub-Zero armoire, rubbed black on the square island and a creamy glaze on the perimeter cabinets.

Since there are limited wall cabinets, the base cabinets have carefully designed interior features such as peg storage divider drawers, a roll-out recycling center, cutlery dividers, a Lazy Susan, a built-in paper towel holder and more. A large walk-in pantry holds the overflow, from Janet’s apron collection to all sizes of kitchen gadgets.

But one of Janet’s favorite parts of the new kitchen is her built-in triple glass door china closet where she can store and display her collectible serveware in the lit area. Crystal knobs give it an added touch of detail and elegance.

The overall result is stunning and appropriate for the Palmenteres’ new lifestyle.

Kitchen Design: Armstrong Kitchens
Contractor: Pete and Larry Remodeling
Interior Design: Karen Marcos
Cabinet fronts: Bearden’s Glass
Photos by Steve Sanders

Small But Mighty

As easy as it is to turn around and see the whole condo, it’s difficult to know which focal point is more impressive — the kitchen or the view from the kitchen. Richard and Gloria Christison’s San Francisco Tower loft boasts both a brand new high tech kitchen designed by Kristeen Armstrong-Scott, CKD, of Armstrong Kitchens and a straight-on view of the Liberty Memorial.

“What it lacks in size, it makes up for in money spent,” Armstrong-Scott says.

The first, most obvious standout is the stainless steel tile backsplash that runs around the room. Most metal tiles are used as accents, but the Christisons’ large square matte tiles, separated by skinny shiny rectangular ones, reflect the light and give the room a high-energy feel.

Gadget lovers notice the Dacor Digital Entertainment Center — “the most fun toy ever,” comments Armstrong-Scott — which features a pull-down touch screen that acts as a TV, radio, CD/DVD player, computer with internet access, and home security system. It comes with a water-proof remote and keypad.
 The kitchen also includes Fisher & Paykel’s dishwasher drawers that allow users to run two cycles at a time, and a compact 2700 series Sub-Zero refrigerator.

Perhaps less noticeable is the induction cook top, which was originally developed in the 1970s but failed to become a successful cooking tool. “It’s new but it’s not new,” says Armstrong-Scott. It’s back, she adds, because it’s fast, using hot coils that can boil water before heating the surface area.

Design details join the “toys” in the room’s overall sophisticated appearance. The cabinets, trim and ceiling are all the same color to make the space seem larger. Opaque glass fronts alternate with wood fronts.

Haefela hardware is properly scaled to the size of the drawers; touch dimmer task lighting allows the user to change light levels individually; and outlets submerged underneath cabinets avoid intruding on the mesmerizing tile backsplash. The National Kitchen and Bath Association predicts this latter feature will be big in future designs because it’s safer and easier for everyone to use.

“And then there’s the view,” Armstrong-Scott points out. That is one design element that just can’t be beat.

Kitchen Design: Kitchen Design Gallery
Cabinets: Studio Becker
Glass: URO Glass
Countertops & Tile: Chang Design, Berkeley, Calif.
Hood: Chang Design through Zephyr
Appliances: Miele, Wolf, Sub-Zero
Faucet: KWC
Photos by James Maidhof

LEDing the Way

One of the large brick Colonials along Ward Parkway boasts a surprise inside: It’s actually a modern house.

Minimalist interiors meet with high-tech functions in the home of Edith and Benny Lee. 

Shawn McCune, CKD, of Kitchen Design Gallery redesigned the kitchen for the Lees, who allowed him to explore creative elements.

The first decision was to incorporate a waterfall backsplash behind the cook top, a feature that McCune has on display in his Lenexa showroom and that won him the 2006 Showroom of the Year from the National Kitchen and Bath Association.

“It brings two natural elements, fire and water, together in one space,” McCune says.

Water flows down a piece of slump glass, lightly etched with a Chinese mountain landscape, and into an overflow drain, where it filters any contaminants and recycles back through the system.

Added to that is the cycle of LED lights that can transition through the rainbow or be set on one color.

Lee jokes that he can surmise his wife’s mood by the color she selects.

“I know when I can kiss her or when I should leave her alone,” he says with a laugh.

McCune predicts that LED lights are going to be the next big trend in lighting because the bulbs last 10,000 hours and they burn cooler than other types of lights, like xenon and fluorescent, plus they have the ability to change color.

The Lees’ faucet — Eve by KWC — also features a LED light on its head that follows water when sprayed or acts as a night light by staying on for 45 minutes at a time.

To match the frosted glass backsplashes next to the waterfall, McCune designed frosted glass sliding doors on both sides of the kitchen.

One side features open shelves, a collection of Miele appliances and the ability to slide back a wall and make a pass-through to a wet bar in the living room; the other side is used as lockers, a pantry and desk space.

This storage solution is more consistent with a contemporary look, keeping the main area free of bulky cabinets.

McCune also selected less prevalent beech wood and concrete countertops to distinguish this kitchen from others.

Between the two surfaces is a drain trough made up of mixed remnant tiles that descends from the edge of the cabinets to the sink to catch any spills.

It is no surprise how carefully thought through this kitchen is.