A Phased Approach to a Dream Kitchen
There are challenges to renovation and sometimes getting it done all at once just isn’t possible.
For Maria and her family, a two-stage renovation was what ended up happening. Maria, her husband Dave and their two young children moved into their circa 1940 home a few years ago. After a couple of years, they had added a dog and a new baby to the mix. Their 3 bedroom, 1 ½ bath home was feeling cramped, but they loved the home, so they decided to expand rather than relocate.
Stage 1 of the Renovation with Phase 1 Kitchen
They added a family room on the first floor, with a master bedroom and full bath on the second floor. On the first floor they removed the wall between the kitchen and the dining room to open up the space. The dining room was separated from the new family room by French doors, bringing light into the room which had previously had a window and would now be at the center of the home.
By taking down the wall between the kitchen and the dining room, the kitchen was opened up. They installed a two-tiered granite bar in place of the wall so they could eat there, and the kids could do their homework. When visitors arrive, it is an easy place for them to sit and chat while Maria preps dinner on the other side. Once they’d settled into the new space and used it for a couple of years, they decided it was time to upgrade the rest of the kitchen. Maria knew this was a possibility when they did the first renovation and she chose timeless classic cabinets that could easily be matched when the time came.
Stage 2 of the Renovation Updating the Kitchen
Stage 2 of the home renovation was centered on the kitchen. Keeping the same footprint, the renovation included beautiful new cabinets, granite countertops, new appliances and flooring. The kitchen and the house are now up-to-date, and the design suits the family as the children grow.
Thinking back on the process, Maria’s biggest worry was taking down the wall between the kitchen and the dining room, but she is glad she took the leap in stage 1 of the project as she is delighted with the result. If Maria had it to do over again, she would add more storage space instead of open shelving.
The advice she shares with friends is this: If you want to love your kitchen, choose a classic look, not a trendy one. For Maria, that meant clean lines and warm colors.
If you are planning a kitchen renovation, we invite you to visit one of our showrooms to explore the large selection of natural stone, quartz and porcelain we offer for kitchen countertops, vanity tops, bars, fireplace surrounds, and more. We look forward to seeing you and then seeing the pictures of your new kitchen!