Location: Sunset Hills, IL
Our clients needed a first floor kitchen makeover to create a space that better suited their family of six. An addition was added to make the kitchen more extensive, and while we were at it, we rearranged a few walls in the master bedroom upstairs for better flow and organization.
Other than building more space for this family of six, there were a few other challenges in our path. The basement had a large rock as part of the foundation. After consulting with geological specialists and engineers, we were told the rock was sturdy enough, and the new addition and improvements were safe to continue building.
The experienced architects and engineers already knew what the permits would be looking for and were able to put those requirements in place to make the permit process move quickly and painlessly.
bumped the L shaped kitchen into a larger square kitchen that allowed them to create more space, add an island, expand the hallway into the kitchen, and made a new entry from the garage instead of the annoying outside door from the garage into the house
With four daughters, our clients bought their house in 2010, knowing they would have to make changes in the future. The home had a bunk room that would suit their young triplets as threw grew up. Even though the house was already spacious, our clients knew there were elements of the house that they needed to change as the children get older. The kitchen needed to be more functional for the larger family, and it needed to accommodate holiday celebrations.
Once the shape of the kitchen and hallway was figured out, and once they were able to move walls around, everything else went smoothly. Our clients had a fantastic idea of what they wanted and had spent a lot of time planning before their project started. This made the design portion of the project run smoothly. Colors, materials, and other elements were chosen easily, and our designer helped lead them in the right direction.
The clients stuck with classic styles and kept everything bright and airy.
Luckily, the computer rendering of the space gave the family a very clear idea of what it was going to look and feel like before they even started the construction process.
Bumping out the hallway wall about five feet gave us plenty of room to add storage closets for shoes, coats, and other stuff for the family to keep the space clean and organized. It also provided a much larger space for the family of six to navigate without constantly bumping into each other.
The kitchen went from a crowded and dark galley-style to a wide U-shape with an island that creates excellent flow for the family of six to move around as they live their life. The family liked keeping a smaller table in the kitchen for seating, so we created a space for a table and a corner bench. Now have the perfect spot for casual meals, and there's even storage in the bench.
The larger opening from the walkway into the kitchen makes the kitchen feel more connected to the rest of the home. So much life happed in this area of the home, and now they have the space to do so without bumping into each other.
The master bedroom had plenty of space, but it wasn't being used to its greatest potential. So we first removed one of the closets, expanded the laundry room into the closet, and added a door from the bathroom into the now bigger closet. We also added more windows, and now the room is flooded with bright sunlight throughout the day. It's a much more streamlined space and optimized for how they use it. Our clients added organizational systems in the closet to help keep things tidy and
the laundry machines are now stacked, so the family has an oversized tub sink for soaking and a drying rack for delicates.
With all their research our clients had decided they liked blue. So when the time came to choose colors, our designer efficiently guided them through all their options. The celeste blue cabinets in the kitchen make a statement, but they are toned down with white upper cabinets. The counter to ceiling white subway tile brings a brightness to the space and makes it easier to keep things clean. Speaking of cleaning, the Cambria quartz countertops are stunning and low maintenance. No need to worry about staining with quartz!
From the beginning, our clients had a clear "why" when it came to this project. Of course, this made our job easy, but they were also a joy to work with. Our designer Brittany Allen says, "I feel lucky to have gotten to work with them!"
