Contemporary Kitchen Remodel: Strategies for Sweet Success

Our house, built in 1995, has a modern flair with a large great-room open to the kitchen, entry and deck. Our home's contemporary style suits both our tastes, but from the beginning, I dreamed of reorganizing and renovating our dysfunctional kitchen. Several years ago, I began researching and working with a kitchen designer to rethink our kitchen layout. Our kitchen remodel is now complete, and we have lived in our new kitchen for about two years. During this time, I have reflected on what features are a slam dunk and what I might have done differently.

During my year of design and planning, I edited and revised the plans relentlessly until they truly addressed and solved most of our requirements. My number one suggestion if you're gearing up for a remodel is don't skimp on the planning phase. Our kitchen designer seemed in a hurry to sign the contract for our cabinets and get the job rolling. I forced him to slow down while I reconfigured the cabinet and appliance layout to carve out functional zones for storage, food prep, cooking and cleanup. I'm glad the design phase took nearly a year to complete ~ that extra time and attention to detail has minimized our regrets or do-overs.

Let's walk through my dream kitchen (now a reality!) together. You'll discover some of my design challenges and how I successfully resolved them. If you seek functional, contemporary and cook-friendly ideas for your dream kitchen, keep reading!

Lack of Space

Problem: Even though it's moderately-sized, our former kitchen was cramped and lacked room to cook and invite guests. A small island was the main set-down and work area, but it got cluttered quickly. Also, our large walk-in pantry was separate from the cooking area. My theory about our walk-in? ~ It wasted valuable floor space that could be better utilized elsewhere in the kitchen. Yes, our pantry was overstocked with household items, but many products could be easily stored elsewhere in the house.

Solution: We knocked down the wall separating the walk-in pantry from the kitchen. Voila ~ our kitchen's footprint increased by about 25 square feet. We were able to move our refrigerator back about 4 feet, and add a smaller, but more integrated, corner pantry. Before knocking down the wall, our contractor determined it was not load-bearing. Other than patching the ceiling and wood floor underneath the former wall studs, this was the easiest and most cost effective way to reconfigure the space in our kitchen without knocking down an external wall and pushing the footprint out.

Insufficient Natural Light

Problem: Our former kitchen had two large corner windows above the sink for natural light, but because of a patio roof, not much sun streamed in. Our sliding patio door opened into the kitchen eating area, but provided only a shaded view and not much additional light. In short, lack of natural light depressed me, and adding a skylight or solatube wasn't an option because of a second floor above.

Solution: We decided to sacrifice wall-cabinet space and add a 55" bay window above the counter, on the kitchen's southern exposure. The new bay window required a minimum of retrofitting, but has really brightened and opened up the kitchen, and has an attractive sill for plants. Additionally, our electrician moved the three existing can lights and added several more on a dimmer. We bought three pendant lights to hang over the island, which provide drama and task lighting for food prep and cooking.

Lackluster Cabinets and Soffit

Problem: The 90's trend of decorating the space above cabinetry is thankfully short-lived. Our former kitchen had a one-foot square drywall soffit which jutted out 12" below the ceiling. The soffit was an eyesore and collected dust quicker than our Dyson. Builder-grade maple cabinets hung beneath the soffit, with the net effect being minimal storage and tons of wasted space. I would have considered refacing our cabinets had I not detested this soffit and desired its immediate demolition.

Solution: Our contractor carefully removed all base and wall cabinets and transferred them to the garage. Luckily, my husband repurposed them for his workshop, so I don't feel they were wasted. Meanwhile, the soffit was demolished which made way for the new bay window, as well as our sleek new cabinets, island, appliances and corner pantry. Also, designing new cabinets to reach our 9' ceilings maximizes the visual impact of our 9 foot ceilings.

Dysfunctional Countertops

Problem: Minimal work areas and dark green, speckled formica were a losing combo. We needed deeper and longer work areas, which meant designing a massive center island for both cooking and working. Our new layout had a purpose ~ to make cooking both efficient and fun again!

Solution: New granite counters stretch in an L-shape from the pantry to the corner sink, all the way to the new patio door. We tripled the size of our island, thanks to increased floor space gained from removing the pantry. Our new 8' x 3 1/2 ' island is composed of four base cabinets, three uppers and a bookshelf cabinet, bolted together to form a functional workspace. The island features a prep area and cooking zone, thanks to the addition of a prep sink and five-burner cooktop. Additionally, large banks of drawers and cabinets flank both sides of the island, and my cookbooks live happily on the integrated bookshelf. I love having the cooktop on the island ~ I enjoy facing my family when I cook instead of staring at a wall. The only thing we couldn't add to the island was a seating area, but we haven't missed that much since our kitchen table seats eight comfortably. The counter space and work zones we gained with our island are worth every penny we sunk into it!

Inefficient Work Zones and Misplaced Appliances

Problem: we loved our smooth top range, but I didn't like facing a wall to cook. I also needed a double oven for entertaining, and wanted to reconfigure the appliance layout so my cooktop, microwave, oven and dishwasher worked together in harmony, whether that meant a triangle, rhombus, or other working arrangement.

Solution: Our kitchen is U-shaped with a central island. It's roughly 12' x 24', with an additional eat-in area near the patio door. My kitchen designer and I brainstormed the proper areas for storage, food prep, cooking and cleanup. The storage zone includes the refrigerator, pantry cabinets and corner pantry, all lined up on the east wall. The prep sink is near the fridge and pantry, which minimizes steps. Next, the microwave drawer, double oven and cooktop form a central work triangle. Finally, the pull-out garbage can, cleanup sink and dishwasher flank the western end of the kitchen.

Functional Zones ~ Keep Tools and Provisions Close to their Use Point

Storage ~ My counter-depth Electrolux refrigerator and pantry keep food accessible to the prep area. The fridge looks built-in, but was about half the cost of a Sub Zero model. A tall pantry cabinet with rollout shelves keeps staples for cooking, baking and breakfast. The corner pantry is roomy and has wire shelving so crumbs fall to the floor. My pullout spice cabinet is conveniently located near both the prep area and cooktop. I love it, although it's hard to keep spices organized, as I'm not disciplined to return my spices in any kind of logical way. But, I don't believe in keeping spices out on the counter, as their aromatic qualities disintegrate quickly when exposed to light or moisture.

Food Prep ~ Conveniently located in the island, our Elkay prep sink is roughly 13" x 17" and 7 ½" deep. It's bigger than the average bar sink, and is roomy enough for a large pasta strainer or colander. I decided to go with a drain strainer instead of a garbage disposal to save money, but in hindsight, a disposal would have been more useful. An abundance of drawers, some extra-wide, store all my cooking tools, mixing bowls and other gadgets. I have drawer dedicated to almost everything in my kitchen, and locating items, even seldom used ones, requires very little thought. Knives and other implements are centrally located. I use a wave knife block to store my chef's knives in the drawer near the prep sink.

Cooking ~ The heart of my kitchen. A Wolf electric cooktop was a total splurge, but I wouldn't trade it for a Viking! It is powerful and easy to clean, and many professional chefs choose smoothtops for their range at home. The telescoping downdraft stays out of sight when not in use. Large drawers store pots and pans directly under the cooktop. A Sharp microwave drawer is a breeze to use, and doesn't take up any wall or counter space.. My double ovens heat up quickly and cook evenly in convection mode, but have dial controls instead of LCD displays. They fit perfectly next to the corner pantry, with vertical storage for cutting boards and baking trays above.

Cleanup ~ The star of the show is my Franke EuroPro undermount sink. It makes washing dishes almost as fun as playing in a waterpark. At approximately 20" x 28" and about a foot deep, this beauty is almost as roomy as a commercial sink. Its insulated, 18-gauge stainless steel interior is durable and scratch resistant. I wasn't sure if a single-bowl sink was a good idea, but I reasoned that its capacity for an entire dinner's worth of dishes would help keep my kitchen looking tidy. My reasoning did not fail me, and I have no regrets. My advice for choosing a sink is: 1) order the deepest and largest sink you can fit into your base cabinet and 2) save money elsewhere and splurge on a sink that's made of heavy gauge materials and is well insulated. My dishwasher has a vented front which helps dishes dry more efficiently. It's not as sleek as those with a solid panel facade, but dishes come out sparkling. Dishes are housed above the dishwasher and placemats and serving dishes are tucked away near the kitchen table.

If you're interested in reading my reviews of these appliances, please click on the links below.
Whirlpool Stainless Steel Dishwasher ~~ www.epinions.com/content_406137310852
Wolf 36" Electric Cooktop ~~ www.epinions.com/content_408449420932
Broan Rangemaster Telescoping Hood ~~ www.epinions.com/content_416728256132
Electrolux Energy-Saving Stainless Refrigerator ~~ www.epinions.com/content_407347891844
Fisher & Paykel Double Oven ~~ www.epinions.com/content_407272394372
Sharp Microwave Drawer ~~ www.epinions.com/content_407265250948

What choices would I make all over again? Also, a few pitfalls...

I love the sleek, modern cabinets. But, the handles I bought on the cheap from Ikea (bitnik, in three sizes) made a little too much of a statement. I ended up spray painting them copper color to blend in with the cabinets. I do like how sturdy they feel, especially when opening my 3 foot wide drawers. But, I wish I had chosen something less heavy and contrasting.

Frosted glass inserts in the upper cabinets balance out the heavy materials in my kitchen. Because I chose a midtone stained wood for the cabinetry (lyptus, a new "environmentally friendly" cross between mahogany and eucalyptus), I was afraid the upper cabinets would make the kitchen seem dark and heavy. Choosing framed glass inserts gives them a light and airy feel. Also, I'm glad I added smaller, flip-up cabinets on top. They maximize our 9 foot ceilings by adding more storage and a sleek look.

I was concerned that rollout shelves I saw in the kitchen showroom were several inches narrower than the width of the cabinet. I decided to pay a little extra for a different anchoring system and rollouts that are wider and have full extension slides. Also, I like my drawers equipped with full extension Blum motion slides and my centrally located pullout trash drawer. I'm glad I chose the trash model with two large bins ~ we keep recycle items in the back bin.

I chose modern white-glass pendant lights to hang over my island. In retrospect, I wish I had gone with my first choice of brightly colored pendants ~ I decided to go with a more conservative neutral, but a bright splash of color would have perked up the wood and granite in my kitchen perfectly. So, don't be afraid to go bold with the little touches like your pendant lights.

Overall, I am quite pleased with my kitchen layout. Our attention to detail when planning functional zones has made my kitchen a joy to cook and entertain in. Our kitchen tour is ending, but I hope you're inspired by my solutions to common kitchen design and remodel challenges. I also hope you enjoyed my first article on Associated Content!