Cooking Up Something Good

Designer: Tammi Morgan
Design Goal: To improve the flow of the kitchen, making it more family-friendly, with space for eating at an island. 
Challenges: Reconfiguring the entire first floor and bumping out the back of the house eight feet for eat-in space and a desk.

The Result: This vintage-style kitchen in a young family's beloved home maintains remnants of the past while being updated with modern amenities. Family heirlooms are displayed in open cabinets, reused corner cabinets flank a banquette area, and a wood valance was made to frame a chalkboard. The homeowner even kept the essence of the former color palette, which was more olive than the new, fresher feel of sage, and personally designed and built the ventilation hood. Subtle details such as quarter-sawn oak floors and crackled Italian accent tiles add character, while a walnut island top and Emperador marble countertops bestow beauty. A walk-in pantry and beverage station behind the island allow access to food without getting into the cook's space.

Resources: Architect: Nearing Staats Prelogar & Jones  l  Contractor: Ashley-Lavender Builders
Interior Design: Lesley Holt, Design Partners  l  Kitchen Design: Euston Kitchen Co.
Paint: Sherwin-Williams  l  Painter: Bruce Ring Painting
Cabinets: Euston Kitchen Co., Quality Wood Products
Countertops: Dimensional Stoneworks, Top Master 
Appliances: Factory Direct Appliance  l  Hardware: Home Hardware  l  Tile: B.C. Tile
Hardwood Flooring: Acme Floor Co.  l  Plumbing: Bill's Plumbing
Plumbing Fixtures: Ferguson Plumbing
 

PHOTOS BY GARY ROHMAN

Designer: Amber Schmidtke
Design Goal: To transform the kitchen into a warm, cozy space with sufficient storage and functionality for the whole family.
Challenges: Designing around existing architectural details and adding focal points that unify the space.

The Result: After replacing outdated cabinetry and colors, an awkward desk area and small island, the kitchen is now a room that's pretty and practical, suited for the family of six. An enlarged island has enough room to prepare meals and accommodate other activities simultaneously, while the entire kitchen functions better with multiple appliance and storage compartments with soft-close drawers, trash and recycling units, microwave drawer, beverage center, pullout breadboard and even a pegged drawer that houses a tea set. Chocolate-stained cherry wood and auburn-stained knotty alder cabinetry supply plenty of storage, even making room for a flat-screen TV. A striking focal point to the space is the see-through fireplace surrounded by floor-to-ceiling onyx tile.

Resources: Contractor: Rick Moore Kitchen and Bath Remodeling
Kitchen Design: Metro Kitchen and Bath
Cabinets: Kemper Cabinets/Metro Kitchen and Bath
Countertops: Central Missouri Countertops/Metro Kitchen and Bath
Appliances: Factory Direct Appliance  l  Tile & Fireplace: ISC Supply/The Gallery
Plumbing & Electrician: Rick Moore
Plumbing Fixtures: Ferguson Enterprises
 

PHOTOS BY JAMES MAIDHOF

Designer: Victoria Sneden, CKD
Design Goals: To make the kitchen a functional work of art and increase storage for new homeowners who could never fully unpack.
Challenge: A structural beam required creative designing to give them the cabinet height and space they needed.

The Result: The homeowners lived in the house for a year while researching the materials that would give them this artistic look. Because having a unique style was important to them, they removed a slate tile backsplash and replaced it with a custom porcelain tile in wave formation, which mimics the curves of the island bar top, featuring Waterfall Green granite.  There's a bit of shine in the room with a custom steel post at the corner of the island and technological intrigue with an articulating faucet. White cabinets were replaced with espresso-stained oak on the perimeter base cabinets and end units; cherry latte with black glaze was used on the upper cabinets to lighten the room. They painted the beam the new wall color and simply worked around it, with one of three pendants straddling it, and the cabinets extending past it up to the window well to increase storage space and act as an anchor. A walk-in pantry was brought up to style with a ribbed glass door, completing the contemporary update.

Resources: Kitchen Design: Armstrong Kitchens  l  Steel Posts: Russco Custom Fabrications
Cabinets: Crestwood  l  Wall Color: Sherwin-Williams' Crater Gray; Trim: Shellbourne  l  Granite: Daltile
Granite Fabrication: Top Master  l  Corian Countertops: Complete Home Concepts
Faucet: Karbon from Kohler, Ferguson Enterprises  l  Hardware: Hafele
Pendant Lights: Broken Arrow
 

PHOTOS BY STEVE SANDERS

Designer: Pamela Vernon
Design Goal: To redo a kitchen in a prettier yet casual fashion to suit the homeowner's personality and lively household.
Challenges: Gutting the space and reworking the same footprint while maintaining storage and accommodating larger appliances.

The Result: This Hallbrook home's previous kitchen wasn't bad, but it was dating itself with its white cabinets, black granite and stainless steel appliances, and it didn't have the Country French style the homeowner longed for. To make it her own, she wanted a softer look with cream-colored cabinets and a gorgeous wood island top. Creating a true focal point was a big part of the redesign, and the hood mantel was a perfect solution. Moving the stove and oven off the island was another priority for easier entertaining, as was the classic simplicity of an apron front sink. Storage levels were maintained with a pantry on both sides of the fridge, pull-out drawers in cabinets, a Lazy Susan in the corner and hidden gems like a spice rack near the stove. A lit corner cabinet is used for beverage service and display, a perfect intermediary between the kitchen and a complementarily redesigned hearth room.

Resources: Kitchen Design: Classic Kitchens   l  Interior Design: Pamela's Home Design
Contractor: R.M. Standard & Co.  l  Cabinetry: Wood-Mode through Classic Kitchens
Appliances: Factory Direct Appliance  l  Hardware & Countertops: Classic Kitchens
Flooring: Acme Floor Co.
 

 PHOTOS BY GARY ROHMAN

Designer: Randall Sisk
Design Goal: To give a newly constructed home a warm kitchen style dubbed “New Millennia Country French.”
Challenges: Reworking the original floor plan to create the focal wall of stone with arches and balance the kitchen around it.

The Result: The kitchen essentially functions as two, with one being more of a showpiece and the other a hard worker. The French styling of the main kitchen is anchored by the La Cornue copper-accented oven set between double arches but continues on with the butcher block for food prep and a farm table island that's wired and plumbed with a vessel sink and pump-like faucet. The homeowners' basic food needs are taken care of with a 24-inch Freedom column fridge and microwave hidden behind one of the rustic cherry cabinets. The back area is more utilitarian, stacked heavy with appliances including a freezer, second oven, dishwasher, microwave, fridge and third sink. A butler's pantry through another arch in the kitchen leading to the dining room features more storage in two lovely, distinct built-ins.

Resources: Architect: Bickford + Company  l  Builder: Kraft Homes
Kitchen Design: Kitchens by Kleweno
Cabinets & Appliances: Kitchens by Kleweno  l  Countertops: Braco Stone
Vessel Bowl: Archival Designs
 

PHOTOS BY JAMES MAIDHOF

Designer: Bev Gilbert
Design Goal: To create a unique custom kitchen that fits the Tuscan style of a new home.
Challenge: Making a really large kitchen feel warm and inviting.

The Result: The open, airy kitchen exudes a rich, rustic feeling that stays in tune with the style of the home and provides plenty of room for everyone to move around. The large, functional island has a side with seating and a working side that's set lower and features a butcher block top for cooking preparation. The kitchen's dark cabinetry is accompanied by an upbeat mosaic tile backsplash and red color palette and red granite countertops. The hand-carved and distressed mantel over the commercial-like range is one focal point, with its green herringbone tile backsplash, while a built-in refrigerator disguised as an armoire is another. Conveniently, the butler's pantry contains an additional oven, refrigerator and dishwasher (making a total of three) for catering purposes, leaving the kitchen spotless for entertaining.

Resources: Kitchen Design: Regarding Kitchens
Cabinetry: Rosewood Industries  l  Countertops: Top Master
Appliances: Doolittle Distributing  l  Hardwood Flooring: Acme Floor Co.
Tile: Sunderland Brothers
 

 PHOTOS BY BOB GREENSPAN

Designer: Sue Shinneman, CKD, and Katie Gruenewald, AKBD
Design Goal: To create a cohesive space that allows more natural light and room for entertaining.
Challenge: Removing a wall and soffits to create more space and brighten up a dark, enclosed kitchen while also making room for an island.

The Result: After knocking down a wall, the kitchen expanded into the former sitting area. Removed soffits added depth and increased space for cabinets and a slender island in the narrow room. The dark furniture-like treatment on the island continues the traditional Colonial feel of the rest of the home, while butter cream walls allow the homeowner's colorful redware pottery collection to stand out. Hardwood maple floors replaced carpet in the sitting room and wood laminate in the kitchen. A window seat with storage and bookshelves were added in front of the bay windows, while pendant and can lighting bring more light into the space, showing how a limited amount of space can be maximized.

Resources: Contractor: David Williams Carpentry
Kitchen Design:  Kitchen Studio: Kansas City  l  Painter: David Williams Carpentry
Cabinets & Hardware: Crystal Cabinetworks  l  Countertops: Dimensional Stoneworks
Appliances: Ferguson Enterprises  l  Flooring, Plumbing & Electrician: David Williams Carpentry
Cabinetry Light Fixtures: Kitchen Studio: Kansas City
 

 PHOTOS BY JAMES MAIDHOF

Designer: Sally Sweeney
Design Goal: To update a 45-year-old kitchen already remodeled 18 years ago, giving it more space and transitional style.
Challenges: Taking space from other rooms, including the garage and two closets, and reorganizing the pantry, laundry room and half bath.

The Result: The homeowner loves the light in the space, which comes from heightened ceilings and three operable, south-facing skylights. A wall removed between the kitchen and dining room and replaced with a peninsula divider also improved lighting and made the space feel more open. At the same time, the voluminous space needed a sturdy base, which was accomplished by staining the cherry cabinets espresso and painting the walls a lovely purple color called Dahlia. The Vittoria Reggio granite was loved by all at first glance and selected for all countertop surfaces. Stainless steel appliances were also a given to counter the dark wood. For the same reason, glass fronts for several cabinets were incorporated, as was a mosaic glass tile backsplash. One of the most unique features of the room is the random-width hardwood planks hand-stained three different colors.

Resources: Contractor: Schloegel Design Remodel  l  Kitchen Design:  Kitchens Only
Interior Design: Cindy Stehl Interiors
Framing & Trim Work: Schloegel Design Remodel  l  Windows: Marvin, KC Millwork
Sheetrock: Lee Drywall and Plaster  l  Paint: Benjamin Moore
Painter: Allen Wheeler  l  Cabinets: Crestwood  l  Countertops: Dimensional Stone
Appliances: Factory Direct Appliance  l  Tile: Central States Tile
Tile Installation: Eddie Cummings Tile  l  Hardwood Flooring: Acme Floor Co.
Heating & Cooling: City Wide Heating & Cooling  l  Plumbing: Schaedel Plumbing
Plumbing Fixtures: Dorfman Plumbing Supply  l  Electrician: PK Electric
Light Fixtures: Wilson Lighting Locks & Fans  l  Fireplace: Complete Home Concepts
 

 PHOTOS BY JAMES MAIDHOF

Designer: Billie Deatherage, CKD
Design Goal: To update and reorganize the space in a typical 24-year-old kitchen for a homeowner who loves to cook.
Challenges: Removing load-bearing walls that would require re-engineering and unifying three rooms into one.

The Result: The kitchen, being one part of an entire first-floor makeover, expanded dramatically once walls were removed, joining it with the breakfast and living rooms. A wraparound bar extends into the continued space, featuring an undercounter wine fridge, sink and plenty of extra storage. While the kitchen layout remained pretty much the same, it got a serious upgrade. Because the owner loves to cook, she needed high-end appliances and functional storage. At the center of the wall is a substantial hood hovering over a six-burner stove with griddle and spice storage hidden in the posts. An island adds prep space and has a warming drawer. A larger window was installed above the sink to add light to the room, which is heavy with a coffee stain on the cabinets while a layered lighting design allows the homeowner to concentrate on whipping up a fantastic meal.

Resources: Contractor: CMC Remodeling  l  Interior and Kitchen Design: Deatherage Home Designs
Windows: Pacific Mutual Door  Painter: Steve Alt Painting  l  Specialty Painting: Beautiful Homes
Cabinets: Kansas City Cabinet  l  Countertops: Braco Stone
Appliances: Factory Direct Appliance  l  Tile: All Over The Floor
Heating & Cooling: Elvin's Refrigeration
Electrician & Plumbing: D & D Plumbing and Electrical  l  Plumbing Fixtures: Dorfman Plumbing Supply
 

PHOTOS BY STEVE SWALWELL

Designer: Shawn McCune, CKD
Design Goal: To turn a small, cramped, outdated kitchen into a space with more storage, better design and improved traffic flow.
Challenge: Removing the header and walls that divided the kitchen from the hearth room.

The Result: Removing the barriers made a more open and inviting floor plan. A boxed ceiling was added to provide interest, while a bigger window was placed over the sink to bring in more natural light. The original window above the range was replaced by the hood, a focal point in the room with its marble backsplash, and is now flanked by two smaller windows. The island, which seats five and provides additional storage, has a lower prep area with a curved portion that showcases a walnut cutting board top, sink and disposal. The kitchen reaches the height of functionality with more shelf space and deeper drawers than the former kitchen and a new level of sophistication with an espresso-stained island and contrasting white-glazed perimeter cabinets.

Resources:  Interior Designer: Cindy Stehl Interiors  l  Kitchen Design: Kitchen Design Gallery
Framing & Trim Work: Kitchen Design Gallery  l  Windows: Kansas City Building Supply
Sheetrock: JIII Enterprises  l  Painter: Dawn Ton Painting
Cabinets, Countertops, Appliances, Hardware, Tile & Plumbing Fixtures: Kitchen Design Gallery
Plumbing: Plumbing, Etc.  l  Electrician: CRI Electrical Services
Fireplace: Kansas City Building Supply
 

PHOTOS BY STEVE SANDERS