Project Summary
The homeowners of this 1940’s craftsmen bungalow loved the charm of their home but not the cramped layout or the freezer like conditions each winter brought to the poorly insulated space. What they really wanted was a complete kitchen makeover, doubling the working surface area of the kitchen without forfeiting period details, especially the ogee archway.
We estimate between 500 and 600 people visited our craftsman kitchen remodel as part of the 2016 Spring Remodelers Showcase Home Tour! Thank you to all who attended and for those of you who showed interest in our design/build capabilities, we look forward to meeting with you soon.
Design/Build Consultant—Jonah Smith
Completed project view from dining room entryway • All Pro Photos—Alyssa Lee
Existing floor plan prior to remodel
Existing kitchen bath and office doorways
Originally, the kitchen provided access to a small office and a bathroom, neither of which were desirable. They wanted to keep access to the dining room, but move the entry point .
Proposed remodel plan
In order to achieve their desired goals we had to remove the existing pantry, wall off the two doors to the bathroom and office, and then create new doorways off the dining room for access to the office and the half bathroom. Plumbing lines and HVAC runs also had to be rerouted.
Existing kitchen with tiny eating area and only two windows
In order to create more space, which was one of the key goals to the project, we had to remove the archway at the far end of the kitchen, as well as the dual kneewalls and the built-in shelves.
Straight on view of finished remodel from main floor entrance
This added space allowed us to create a much larger breakfast nook for a cozy informal dining area, and room for additional cabinets and new appliances. However, now that we had more space we also needed to add more light to the area. That was achieved by adding a bank of windows on both exterior walls, bathing the new dining nook with glorious sunlight and brightening the entire kitchen.
Reverse view of existing kitchen facing main entrance and dining room entrance
Although we had to remove the original archway in the kitchen for the sake of space and light, we moved that feature to another entrance, adding a new replica archway back into the plan where the kitchen opens up to the formal dining room.
We also mirrored the distinctive archway with an arched niche in the range backsplash. And by removing the wall between the original kitchen and pantry we were able to gain additional space for more cabinets and the refrigerator.
Finally, before we installed the new oak flooring to match the rest of the main level, we re-insulated the kitchen walls and made a few discoveries along the way. As was the custom with homes built in that period, insulation often consisted of what ever was handy at the time. In this case the cavities were stuffed with newspapers from the 1940’s revealing war news and a host of prints ads extolling the virtues of Camel cigarettes and Coca Cola.
