Open Concept L-Shaped Kitchen: Before and After
Hinsdale, IL couple Colleen and Bob wanted to turn their dated and dark kitchen into the entertainment center of their home. They came to designer Janice Teague, CKD/CBD with a vision of connecting their kitchen to the adjacent living area and changing the whole design aesthetic.
A Reimagined Kitchen Floorplan:
To open up the space, designer Janice Teague removed the dividing peninsula, above floating cabinets and ceiling soffit. Next, the U-shaped floor plan was reconstructed and replaced with L-shaped perimeter cabinets and a large island with double-sided storage. The new super-sized island created clear sight lines through the kitchen and into the living room. To compliment the island’s new function, island seating was placed to allow the cook to interact with guests while keeping a defined workspace.
Next, a side wall by the refrigerator was removed to allow the bar cabinetry to merge with the adjoining cabinets. This change made the room look wider and the unified countertops create a generous coffee or dessert bar perfect for entertaining.
Design Finishes:
“Colleen and Bob wanted a mix between industrial and traditional, which brought us the transitional design you see here. The cabinet door style has a traditional panel molding, but the squared edges bring in a modern feel. To give the tapered hood a modern twist, it is finished off with a polished nickel band, while the traditional subway tile gets its contemporary feel by using an elongated width” says designer Janice Teague.
The cohesivity of the design is owed to the subtle matching design elements that are adorned throughout the kitchen. Traces of polished nickel can be found in the tapered hood trim, the three island pendants, the cabinetry hardware, and the pencil schluter strip backsplash detail.
The perimeter cabinetry in Taupe Striated and island cabinetry in Mystic give a subtle amount of contrast while Silver Brushed granite countertops tie together the tones of the kitchen design.
To top off this renovation, professional grade appliances are incorporated, including Wolf range and single oven, built-in Sub-Zero refrigerator/freezer, and a Kohler under mount sink all in stainless steel.
Living Room Design:
One of the biggest undertakings for designer Janice Teague and her team in this two-room remodel was to remove the floor to ceiling brick that occupied the whole living room wall. Once that was stripped, a simplified design of large format, floor-to-ceiling porcelain tile took its place.
Cocoa stained cabinets in the same finish as the island harmoniously flank the honed granite hearth and fireplace to create a great focal point for the new living room.
Altogether the homeowners loved the outcome and were overjoyed to be finished in time to host thanksgiving!