When Mary and Jon Kuntz became empty nesters, they decided it was time to renovate their 16-year-old kitchen to create their dream space. While the light wood and beige countertops were popular when they purchased the newly built home in 2004, they were tired of the design that just didn’t match the rest of their home’s elevated coastal aesthetic. Additionally, the kitchen didn’t have adequate storage, so they were keeping appliances in the basement, walking up and down the steps any time they needed to use the blender! The proportionally small kitchen included an oddly shaped island that cut off much of the space without adding functional cabinetry beneath.
The Kuntz’s vision for their new space included a bright white and blue color scheme, unique accents, and plenty of storage. The design team at Brothers helped them accomplish this with a custom light blue color on the hood and island, hand-laid beadboard accents, and custom Tedd Wood cabinetry. One thing they did want to keep from the old kitchen was the beautiful hardwood flooring. Brothers’ master tradesmen were able to take the hidden hardwood from under the island to fill in the gaps left from removing the dividing half wall. From the unique pendant lights to the bright quartz countertops and flawless hardwood floor, the final kitchen creates a stunning coastal effect.
BEFORE: Original Kitchen
Project Hurdles
Not Enough Storage The homeowners were storing many appliances in the basement and needed new cabinetry to hold all of their items so they could be at hand in the kitchen.
Small Pantry The kitchen was lacking food storage with a singular 24-inch pantry area.
Undersized window The homeowners did not like the small window and were considering a major renovation to add a larger one in its place.
Original Floor Brothers was asked to keep the original wood flooring as it matched the rest of the home, even though this renovation was changing the room layout.
Small, Impractical Island The original island was far too small to be useful.
Solutions
Custom Storage Brothers’ carpenters installed custom cabinetry inserts including a spice rack, extra deep drawers, cutlery dividers, a mixer shelf, and tray divider.
Doubled the Pantry The new kitchen layout incorporated two 36-inch cabinets for increased food storage.
Coffee Nook Our designers realized that the issue with the window was that it did not feel balanced, so rather than replace the window, we created a floating shelf coffee nook next to it that balances the space.
Seamless Flooring Our master craftsmen took the wood from under the new island to fill in the areas that didn’t have flooring like under the old dividing wall.
Large, Multifunctional Island We designed and built a completely custom island with special details including hand laid beadboard and a custom blue paint.