design & build by:
A Dose Of, LLC
location: Chicago, Illinois
project type: Complete remodel of Kitchen (High Rise)
considerations, wish list & limitations: Owners desired a family friendly kitchen that felt larger & had better sight lines to their awesome city & lakefront views, ‘fix’ ugly trey ceiling
The building has strict rules on contractors, insurance, noise and water restrictions, among other things.
musts: lower ‘sushi bar’ style countertops, maximize lake & city views, expand space, build out island with furniture detail to improve tie-in to family room, add texture with backsplash & marble, find a durable lacquer, use handles to improve visual continuity in small space.
We LOVE interior design and renovations and though we were excited about the absolutely perfect location (not to mention the protected & unobstructed waterfront view) of the city house (click here for more projects), we just couldn’t even with the depressing Kitchen setup. The lighting was sad, the granite was gross, the bi-level kitchen peninsula felt cramped and ruined the sight lines. The list goes on: no pendant lighting, shallow sink, cheap faucet, oddly placed electrical boxes, orange-ish stained wood cabinets, blah cabinet knobs, no light over the dining table because the electrical box was not centered. It was a study in “What Not To Do”. A real doctorate in how to assemble a shitty, non functional & aesthetically displeasing space. Developers need to get over the notion that it’s ok to throw granite countertops in a space and call it a day. But I digress. We hired ourselves for the redesign and we were also the general contractors on this project. And so, with a goal to 1) improve sight lines, 2) neutralize the orange color scheme and 3) maximize every square inch of this city kitchen, we ultimately decided CHALLENGE ACCEPTED!
Before: From Real Estate Listing Photos.
So here is what we did… & by the way, feel free to click the links for additional product information!
Best, N+K
First Things First, New Solid Hardwood Flooring Was Installed Throughout the Entire Home, Requiring Cabinet Height & Door Adjustments.
We Got The Idea to Use Honed Danby Marble from Martha Stewart, but Made the Countertops Extra Thick. The Beveled Elongated Hex Tile Paired Well with the Marble and Wasn’t Boring.
We Removed the Bi-Level Countertop To Improve Sight Lines & Moved the Electrical Box for Proper Lighting Placement. We Added a Neutral but Warm Area Rug Under the Kid Friendly Dining Table.
We Added Much Needed Detail to the Island to Give it a More ‘Furniture-Like’ Appearance & A Rug for Visual Interest.
We Added Much Needed Simple Pendant Lighting.
We Chose Lacquered Cabinets & a Hand-Painted Tray Ceiling With a Touch of Metallic in the Paint.
We used GE Monogram Appliances To Fit Space Limitations & We Love a Tea Kettle on the Stove.
Table & Chairs from RH. We Added the Table Runner & Jars For A Little Bit of Pretty.
The Husband Liked This Contemporary Faucet From Waterstone Faucets and To Eliminate Clutter on the Countertop We Purchased the Soap Dispenser too. While It Required a Little Extra Electrical Work, We Relocated the Sink Disposal Switch From A Low Place on the Wall & Changed it to a Push Button Air Switch.
Kohler Single Bowl Undermount Sink
We Placed Handles on All Doors plus the Drawers & False Fronts for Continuity in 3 Sizes: 8 3/8″,5 7/8“, 3 13/16″
Full View of the Windows. All Furniture RH