MAK Design+Build

This client had purchased a large but plain suburban tract home. Despite adequate square footage on the ground floor, the kitchen space was cramped and awkward to work in. It was shut off from the rest of the downstairs by a curved staircase to the north, a wall with a narrow opening to the dining room and a sink peninsula near the family room.

Additionally, the owners fought for years with the original builder to correct re-occurring leaks around the south-facing kitchen windows. Since this issue had finally been resolved, they were very reluctant to make any changes to the existing windows.

Kitchen shut off from dining room and rest of house.
Builder’s stock cabinetry and white tile counters lacked quality and personality.
White appliances and fixtures had no aesthetic appeal.
Breakfast nook cabinets had no defined function and inaccessible storage.
Awkward work triangle: stove, oven and sink too close together, refrigerator too far away.
Minimal counter space.

Clients didn’t want to touch existing windows, which had just been repaired by builder.
Clients didn’t want to expand the square footage, roofline also limited expansion.
Foot vent for island sink over slab foundation required existing waste line to descend 16” below the finished floor.
dining room wall to be removed turned out to be part of a shear wall and contained plumbing stack for bathroom upstairs.
Clients wanted new matching appliances but wanted to keep newer model white dishwasher.

kitchen layout unifies the family room, kitchen and dining room.
Traffic flow improved by removing west wall and sink peninsula to east.
Island increases countertop space and creates efficient work triangle.
West wall re-engineered with new header and relocating plumbing to exterior wall. Plumbing had to pass through the new framing configuration without compromising the structural integrity of the member.
New stainless steel appliances, plus stainless steel panel for existing dishwasher.
New hand-crafted artisan tile for backsplash and recycled-granite composite sink in rich, complimentary brown tone created personal accents.
Granite counters and two cabinet finishes create depth and warmth without clutter.

The new kitchen is more functionally integrated while simultaneously more open and connected to the adjacent Family and dining rooms. The kitchen feels spacious but welcoming and includes plenty of countertop for food preparation, cabinetry for storage, and eating areas for socializing. The finishes are creative and unique, expressing personality in what was once a stock home. All of this was obtained within the existing footprint and within a tight budget.