The Flip Flop

In this 1960's East Grand Rapids Colonial, the kitchen was shoehorned into the front corner of the house. With a 10' by 14' footprint., the space was simply too small to satisfy the owners' desire for a large island and upscale appliances. Meanwhile, a large dining area at the back of the house was under-utilized. The solution? Remove the wall separating the kitchen and dining rooms and swap the rooms. With careful planning and execution, the new kitchen accommodated an island with seating for four and transformed the space into the heart of the house..

Bring in the Light

For this Mid-Century Modern makeover the design goals were to better connect the kitchen to the rest of the house and to visually connect it to the serene landscape outside.  A bank of skylights over the island plus a nine foot window over the sink floods the kitchen with natural light. Walnut cabinets provide a warm contrast to the white-on-white cabinets and countertops. The kitchen makeover was the first phase of a project that spilled over to nearly every room in the house.

Yesterday, Today, and Tomorrow

The original kitchen of this landmark home was built for a different era. A time when "servants" prepared the meals and entertaining took place far away from the utilitarian kitchen, staff eating area, and butler's pantry. Now, through a careful reconfiguration, these three rooms have been combined into an elegant, modern kitchen and wet bar suitable for the 21st Century. Yesterday's elements brought forward to serve today and tomorrow's interests.