Kitchen Collection

Click the page numbers below to scroll through our kitchen collection. To see all 10 collections pick up the January-February 2008 issue of Kansas City Homes & Gardens.

Location: Mission Hills, KS

Designer: Victoria Sneden, CKD

Photos by: Steve Sanders

Design goals: To update a 1970s kitchen and make it work for two cooks.

Challenge: Keeping a galley kitchen from “looking like a bowling alley” in a ranch home.

The result: Vicki widened the entranceways to both the living room and breakfast area to improve the flow, and she broke up the space in between with multiple ‘stations’ for food prep, cooking, vegetable washing and serving. The wood paneling and oak cabinets that smothered the room were removed and replaced with lyptus mahogany cabinets that show off a rich, unique color and stripes; the walls were slathered in an appetite-inducing Spanish Red. Creamy Caesarstone countertops offset the dark colors in the room, and metal accents — copper pulls on the refrigerator and a copper ventilation hood — plus a custom palette of slate and glass tile mosaic backsplash make strong details.

Resources:
Kitchen Design: Armstrong Kitchens
Paint: Benjamin Moore
Cabinets: Armstrong Kitchens
Countertops: Top Shop North
Tile: RBC Tile
Copper Hood: Wholesale Sheetmetal
Appliances: Factory Direct Appliance
Hardware: Emenne/Bear Creek Bronze
Flooring: Armstrong Hardwood Floors
Art: Prairiebrooke Gallery  

Location: Overland Park, KS

Designer: Anne Hatakka

Photos by: James Maidhof

Design goals: To create a kitchen that would blend with the Victorian architecture of an 1876 farmstead.

Challenge: Incorporating the clients’ collections of antiques and salvaged items.

The result: The homeowners needed more space for their growing family and only had the option to push out the back of the Johnson County landmark home to get it. Adding 10 feet to the back, they doubled the space in the kitchen, giving them a walk-in pantry and an eating nook, plus increasing square footage in the living room. The homeowner requested that several specialty items be worked into the design, including two terra cotta reliefs off the Defense Building in Kansas City that are featured as backsplashes for the stove and a niche, and stained glass that was built into a storage unit behind the seating area. The homeowner had two original light fixtures to the house restored and hung above the island in a non-structural beam. Although the Habersham cabinets offer the look of days past, modernity makes the kitchen functional and luxurious — the homeowner adores her double sets of dishwasher drawers and wine unit.

Resources:
Architect: R J Kietzman Architect
Contractor: Wilson Group, Greenwood, Mo.
Interior and Kitchen Designer: Anne Hatakka
Cabinets: Kitchenworks
Countertops: Alpha Stone
Appliances: Factory Direct Appliance
Hardware: Van Dyke’s
Refrigerator Pulls: Anthropologie
Tile: RBC Tile & Stone
Electrician: Advanced Electrical
Flooring: Sunderland Brothers
Terra Cotta Stone & Antique Glass: Architectural Salvage
Copper Sinks: Kitchenworks
Refurbished Light Fixtures: Hiles Silver Plating
Chandelier: Home Depot
Bar Stools: Watson’s
Breakfast Table and Bench: Mission Road Antiques

Location: Shawnee, KS

Designer: David Zebley

Photos by: James Maidhof

Design goal: To open up a crowded kitchen and create a bright, contemporary image.

Challenge: Removing a wall that bisected the kitchen and dining space and leveling the cabinets on an uneven floor.

The result: The homeowners, who love color and minimalism, updated their cabinets from builder-grade oak to streamlined Italian cabinets from Pedini. The cheery yellow, along with three Murano glass pendants, complements the colors in the couple’s collection of African-American art hung in the room. An island with a cherry wood base now rests where a wall once was and supports the Gaggenau electric cook top with grill and downdraft ventilation system. Cork flooring cleans easily and hides dirt well. Two tall cabinets in the adjoining dining room act as pantries and overflow storage.

Resources:
Kitchen Company: Portfolio Kitchen and Home
Contractor: Versatile Construction
All materials came through Portfolio

Location: Mission, KS

Designer: Shawn McCune, CKD

Photos by: Justin Highfill

Design goals: To enlarge a former galley-style kitchen and keep its appearance in accordance with the age of the house.

Challenges: Squaring off the room by removing unused space and bumping out the house three feet. 

The result: The kitchen nearly doubled in size and increased in efficiency with careful planning. Shawn split up the refrigerator and freezer and angled them at opposite ends of the room so that the fridge is near the primary sink for washing and the freezer is next to the oven for thawing. All the appliances are top-of-the-line but unnoticeable because they are paneled to blend in with the furniture-like quality of the cabinets. Shawn points out the Miele Speed Oven as one of his favorite new appliances; the convection microwave can heat a frozen dinner or roast a turkey in half the time and with uncompromised results. The kitchen’s ceiling grid and symmetrical layout of distressed, painted and glazed cabinets fit the home’s traditional style, while the hood is the standout feature of the room. Instead of a typical walk-in pantry, a row of fitted cabinets behind the island allows for easy access and a wider walkway, smartly using the space they had available.

Resources:
Kitchen Design:    Kitchen Design Gallery
Countertops:    Alpha Stone
All other materials through Kitchen Design Gallery

Location: Lake Lotawana, MO

Designer: Amber Schmidtke

Photos by: James Maidhof

Design goal: To turn a dysfunctional, old stone basement into an open, entertaining kitchen and living area.

Challenges: Moving the old furnace and adding new support beams and ductwork that could be concealed.

The result: After they ripped out and redid the mechanicals, the space became filled with light, aided by a mirror backsplash directly across from the windows. Lighted art behind the cook top and brushed stainless steel panels wrapping around the bar back heighten the visual element of the space, as does a lowered ceiling with uplighting. Even though it is a second kitchen, it is fully stocked with appliances (and liquor since it is a party place). Directly connected is a living area set up for entertaining with a large wall-hung TV and leather couches that complement the burnt orange pendants over the island. The finishing touch is the lake view and easy access to the water from the basement level.

Resources:
Kitchen Designer:    Metro Kitchen and Bath
Framing:    Remodeling Center
Sheetrock:    Ray's Drywall
Trim Work:    Fizell Construction
Paint:    Sherwin-Williams
Faux Painting:    Creative Wall
Cabinets:    Metro Kitchen and Bath
Countertops:    Midland Marble & Granite
Appliances:    Nebraska Furniture Mart
Hardware:    Metro Kitchen and Bath
Tile & Flooring:    Kenny's Tile & Floor Covering
Lighting:    Rensen House of Lights, Lowe's
Flooring Installation:    All Over the Floor
Glass & Mirrors:    Metro Kitchen and Bath
Plumbing:    JAB Plumbing
Plumbing Fixtures:    Ferguson Enterprises
Electrician:    Wirken Electric
Art:    Seventh Heaven

Location: Olathe, KS

Designer: Cherie Brown

Photos by: James Maidhof

Design goals: To reorganize rooms in the house so that the kitchen would connect with the outdoor living area instead of overlooking a driveway.

Challenges: Flip-flopping the floor plan and rebuilding a fireplace column to suit a pizza oven.

The result: Cherie created a dramatic space for family and entertaining in the former living room, and kept the historical significance of gathering around the hearth by transforming an old fireplace into a pizza oven. She also incorporated elements that represent the homeowner’s Irish heritage, as seen in the custom glass tile backsplash that features Celtic knots and a dark wood, pub-style island. A second island is for food preparation and serving. Directly across from it is the Wolf cook top with French plaque for those truly interested in culinary excellence, topped by an elongated wood hood that spans the wall between two new windows. Cherie took space from an unused hallway to create a pantry for dry goods, while refrigerated foods are kept cool in a stand-alone mahogany piece with tiger maple accents. A wine cooler on the opposite wall gets the same furniture-like treatment.

Resources:
Kitchen Design:    Kitchens By Kleweno
Contractor:     Designer Craftsman Renovation
Tile:    Archival Designs
Lighting:    Rock Cottage Glassworks

Location: Kansas City, MO

Designer: Pamela Vernon

Photos by: James Maidhof

Design goal: To update and enlarge a condo-sized kitchen and make areas for interacting and entertaining.

Challenge: Fitting the client’s every want and need in a limited space, while keeping an open traffic pattern.

The result: They removed walls that partitioned the kitchen from the dining room and set a large island in the center of the combined space. Because the client prefers a minimal look, Pamela streamlined an entire wall of cabinets on the opposite wall, leaving few upper cabinets to clutter the space. Horizontal glass tiles appear to widen the room and accent the focal wall, where the prep work is to be done. The warm tile palette was selected from colors in the countertop material, called Logos, which is a slab of glass agglomerate that is thin, lightweight and impermeable. A TV was worked into a side unit to be watched by the chef from the cook top or from the barstools surrounding the island. There is additional seating at the metal and glass dining table positioned across from an adjacent bar area complete with refrigerator drawers and a wine fridge. 

Resources:
Kitchen Company:    Classic Kitchens
Contractor:     Lynn Lemons Construction
Painter:    LC Painting
Cabinets and Countertops:    Classic Kitchens
Appliances:    Nebraska Furniture Mart
Hardware:    Classic Kitchens
Tile:    Steve Knox Gallery
Lighting:    The Light Shop
Flooring:    Acme Floor Co.
Plumbing:    Lexington Plumbing
Plumbing Fixtures:    Steve Knox Gallery
Electrician:    Irwin Electric
Furnishings:    Unique Furniture Options
Floral:    Studio Dan Meiners

Location: Kansas City, MO

Designer: Linda Johnson

Photos by: James Maidhof 

Design goal: To create an upscale yet casual kitchen for a family who likes to cook. 

Challenge: Reworking the flow of the room to create enough space for the cook to move around and keep the kids and traffic flow out of the main cooking area.  

The result: The architect closed off a doorway from the kitchen to the outside and bumped the room out 6 feet where the sink is to create more space. A U-shaped kitchen settled in that portion of the space while a bar area on the outskirts and a butler’s pantry behind the kitchen helped the clients reach their main objective. The homeowner selected a Gaggenau steam oven and convection oven stacked vertically in the wall and a Wolf oven to achieve his culinary objectives. Refrigerator drawers in the bar area allow family and guests access to refreshments without ever entering the main cooking space. European-style walnut cabinets are the visual highlight of the space and feature details such as flutes and brads on the end columns and dentil molding around the entire room. A light green painted on bead board paneling of the glass-fronted cabinets and an open cabinet appear to bring forth displayed items. 

Resources:
Architect: Wendlandt & Stallbaumer, Inc
Contractor: Joel Fritzel Construction
Interior Designer: Phill Crum Designs
Kitchen Designer: Linda Johnson Design
Cabinets: D.L. Armstrong Cabinetry
Appliances: Factory Direct Appliance
Hardware: Home Hardware
Tile: Steve Knox Gallery
Lighting: Wilson Lighting Locks & Fans
Flooring: Acme Floor Co.
Plumbing Fixtures: Steve Knox Gallery

Location: Leawood, KS

Designer: Bev Gilbert

Photo by: Bob Greenspan

Design goal: To create a grand impression in a large house that had minimal space for a kitchen.

Challenge: Reworking the size of the kitchen and changing the scale of the cabinetry and appliances.

The result: Bev enlarged the kitchen by bumping out three feet under an existing roof overhang, gaining considerable length on the cooking and refrigeration wall, and used the added space to incorporate a larger island with TV viewing area and a built-in furniture hutch to expand the homeowners’ storage and serving space. Custom cabinetry in cherry and a custom gold glazed paint, along with improved lighting for function and beauty, makes the space light and airy. A slate and metal backsplash and pine green granite countertop are standout features. Slate tile flooring ties the kitchen in with an existing sunroom (and the extra square footage allowed for a clear path between the two), and a large window above the new sink area offers views to the pool and landscape outside. Because the homeowners love to entertain both indoors and out, Bev surprised them with the idea of an outdoor kitchen directly outside of the new kitchen.

Resources:
Kitchen Design/Contractor: Regarding Kitchens
Cabinets: Rosewood Industries  Countertops: Top Master Inc.
Appliances: Thermador and Bosch/Doolittle Distributing
Hardware: Emtek and Top Knobs 
Tile: Central States Tile, RBC Tile & Stone and Case Supply
Lighting: Quorum/Ferguson Enterprises 
Flooring: STI Stone

Location: Fairway, KS

Designer: Kathy Euston

Photos by: Gary Rohman

Design goal: To update this kitchen with a ‘contemporary craftsman’ look and accommodate two cooks.

Challenge: Remodeling the entire house, including the expansion of the former galley kitchen, on a small lot.

The result: Because the homeowners started fresh, Kathy planned the kitchen to their nth degree, incorporating details like trash pull-outs, knife drawers and a Bosch appliance with 10 fittings for a blender, food processor and more. The space is full of light, thanks to a wall of windows behind the sink that look out onto their backyard garden and the Shawnee Indian Mission. A combination of cherry and yellow-painted cabinets lends soft sophistication, while cork flooring absorbs sound and gives comfort to weary feet. A Viking six-burner induction cook top was their must-have appliance, which is 70 percent more energy-efficient than gas, and acts as additional counter space when not in use. The homeowners were willing to consider other exciting materials and design ideas, which resulted in excellent use of space and fun collaboration of various different styles.

Resources:
Architect: RDM Architecture  Kitchen Design: Euston Kitchen Co.
Electrician: Rick Moseley  Painter: Midwest Painting
Cabinets: Custom Wood Products  Countertops: Top Master Inc.