New Kitchen Design & Remodel

Our clients John and Lynn love their home and their neighborhood. There are many reasons they choose to remodel their 1990s house including it’s cul-de-sac location and that they enjoy their neighbors. They have been renovating the home in stages since 2002 using Degnan Design-Build-Remodel for all of the design and construction. The changes they have made include a three-season room and deck a finished basement, and a remodel of the second floor with a master bathroom enlargement. The kitchen remodel was a major upgrade that solved many problems that are typically found in a builders grade home of the period.

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A Contemporary Kitchen Design

John and Lynn's kitchen original kitchen had honey oak raised panel cabinetry. The typical 1990s floor plan had a u-shaped work area, a lack of pantry cabinets, and a small countertop desk area that went unused. Additionally, the countertop peninsula caused two problems. It prevented access to the dinette table and it contained the dishwasher. Having the dishwasher in the peninsula meant that when it was open,it prevented them from using the kitchen sink. A new floor plan greatly improved the overall functionality of the kitchen, increased accessibility, and modernized the look. This project completed with a modest budget and solved bothersome problems. The kitchen remodel is just one in a series of updates our clients have made to this home.

Updating The Kitchen’s Floor Plan

Lynn has always dreamed of having a kitchen island, but like many kitchens built in the 1990s, the space was too narrow for a standard island. Solving the problem required a new layout. Because the often-used dinette table is easily accessible it was determined that island seating was not required. This enabled us to build a compact island that provided added workspace. The island was built using cabinets that are only 18 x 48 inches. The size allowed for the ideal amount of space in between the cabinets and the island, as well as between the refrigerator and the island, and it left space for the dishwasher to open. Moving between the island and the refrigerator and the dinette to the living room was no longer difficult.

Straightening the wall of cabinets and eliminating the peninsula, allowed for an additional upper cabinet and an extra set of drawers. The refrigerator was placed within arm’s reach of the island and is surrounded by a set of pantry cabinets to give it a built-in look. These changes doubled the usable storage space of this kitchen.

View The Second Story Renovation and The Finished Basement We Built For This Sun Prairie Home

Attention To Details Makes The Difference

The out-of-date ceiling mounted light fixtures were removed and the kitchen is now lit by a combination of recessed lights and pendants.

A high-quality over-the-range (OTR) microwave was installed and properly ventilated out of the house to remove cooking odors and combustion byproducts from the five-burner dual fuel double oven gas range. Bright white subway tile complements the light-colored solid surface countertops, with a beautiful contrast to the dark wood cabinetry. A medium-colored luxury vinyl tile plank floor was installed through most of the main level, coordinating with the existing color of the wide oak colonial trim work.

The results are stunning. The client's lifestyle is transformed, and the house once again is the prettiest on the block. It won't ever be mistaken for another production builder model.

View The Master Bathroom Suite Addition We Designed For This Home

Download The Case Study With Before & After Photos