Best of Design: Renovated Kitchen

AAfter more than 15 years on Washington’s Landing, homeowners knew they loved the location of their townhouse but were more than willing to part with the outdated kitchen.

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BEFORE RENOVATION

In addition to outdated dark wood cabinets and a lack of storage space, the kitchen – which also lacked a real dining area – had a protruding peninsula that created an underutilized dead space between it and the living room’s open floor plan.

“We didn’t know what to do with it,” says the homeowner.

Enter designer Katy Popple.

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By increasing the footprint of the kitchen, adding clever storage solutions – like stowable cabinets to hide the microwave, coffeemaker, and toaster – and replacing the peninsula with an island that seats four, he created a welcoming space that catered to the needs of the people Family was tailored. The judges named it their best renovated kitchen for 2021.

“This was a heavily used kitchen and it just didn’t work for everyone,” says Popple. “[The family] really wanted to figure out how to get things off the countertops. “

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Judge Crystal Decasro Knapik of Cleveland-based architecture firm Vocon praised the new layout of the kitchen, which extended to the living area. She agreed with Judge Stephanie Schill Hayden of Clevelands Schill Architecture that the full-height white cabinets – including the 6-foot wide pantries – created the impression of a larger space with higher ceilings.

“I’m drawn to how light and airy the kitchen feels compared to when it was originally,” adds Hayden.

In addition to adding a kitchen island – which includes cabinets painted deep blue – Popple broke up the long, open floor plan by adding a head beam in the ceiling to define a small dining area.

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“Usually it’s about opening up a space, but in houses like this one with no architectural details, you sometimes have to add architectural details back in,” she says.

Popple also added custom built-in shelving to either side of the living room’s fireplace, which has also been updated with a new mantelpiece. Above that is an elegant frame TV and a Sonos soundbar.

To connect it with the kitchen, the blue on the back of the bookcases – which have been perfectly designed – is the same shade as the kitchen island. Popple especially loves the brass library-style lights that are installed directly above the fixtures.

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“Now you get this really symmetrical interior fireplace wall,” she says.

The new layout also changed the way the family interacts with the house. The kitchen has become a meeting place for the family, which includes the homeowner’s husband and two daughters aged 13 and 11 who love to cook with their parents.

“Now that we have the island, we have so much more space,” says the homeowner. “More than one of us can be in the kitchen at the same time.”

providers

  • Interior and architectural design: Katy Popple Design.
  • General Contractor: Dave Gravina, Green Mountain Renovation.
  • Electrical and Plumbing: Green Mountain Renovation.
  • Furniture: Custom by Katy Popple Design.
  • Hardware: Hamilton Bowes-Ventoux made of satined brass.
  • Household Appliances: Don’s Household Appliances.
  • Fixtures: Ferguson, Newport Brass, East Linear in Satin Brass.
  • Lighting: West Elm.
  • Worktops: Quartz from Kitchenrama.
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