First Place

2006 Remodeling Award: Kitchens under $30,000

Project Overview: Our clients are working artists raising a family in an early 1950’s Leawood ranch. The original eat in kitchen was short on counter and storage space. In addition, the general area required new paint and floor coverings as well as cabinetry and appliances.

The Objective: Our objective was to improve the overall storage and meal preparation for a working family that reflected their creative spirit within a $30,000 budget.

The Problems: The original 1950’s galley kitchen only needed only a little tweaking. The lack of preparation area was partly due to the built in wall oven. The existing sofits above the upper cabinets contained air supply ductwork. The wiring did not meet code and additional lighting was needed.

The Design: Due to budget restraints it was decided to keep within the existing footprint of the upper cabinets to avoid extensive ceiling and sheet metal repair. By utilizing open rounded shelves at the end of the ceiling sofits the upper and lower cabinets appear to look balanced while extending the lower cabinet and countertop length. The ends of the lower cabinets were finished with open shelves to match the upper cabinets. Additional space was also gained by eliminating the wall oven to a more efficient built in convection range. Additional cabinetry was added in the eating area to contain a small television and cookbooks.

Countertops: Corian’s whimsical “Festival” solid surface countertops with the large 850 double bowl sink complements the bright red mosaic glass tile backsplash.

Cabinets: Cherry Medallion cabinetry in the Potters Mill door style is finished in a cherry wheat stain. Four open half round nick knack shelves were placed on the ends of the cabinets to provide a balanced look to enable the increase of the countertop lengths. The lower cabinets contain roll out shelves. The matching cabinets in the eating area are designed to appear as a built in book case are capped with crown moldings.

Appliances:

Our client chose an easy to maintain smooth top built in electric range. The oven and micro hood are convection. This cuts cooking times by half. The matching refrigerator and the dishwasher are encased within the cabinets.

Lighting: The original light fixtures were replaced with recessed ceiling lights and provide the basic illumination. A high output pendant light hangs above the kitchen table. The task lighting is provided with a xenon low voltage light fixtures.

Flooring: The original vinyl flooring was replaced with wood flooring and blends well with the cabinetry. The adjoining oak foyer was removed and tiled in a porcelain tile.

Updating: The foyer entry was widened and the opening arched. The wiring was upgraded to meet codes. The kitchen walls are accented with ceiling crown and a bead board wainscot. The walls are painted in a gold color and the wood work in a gloss creamy off-white to complement the warm wood tones. This creates a back drop for the red glass tiles as a focal point.

Schedule: The job started on January 2, 2006 and was completed on schedule January 24.

Budget: Overall, the kitchen project budget stayed within budget. Additional work unrelated to the kitchen increased the overall cost of the project.

Summary: It was our good fortune to work with such outstanding clients like Renee and Vince. As artists, they are not afraid of using color, as the pictures show.