mounted well below the ceiling to leave
visual breathing room. Closer to the floor,
Kristy recessed the cabinetry toe-kick by
9 inches to suggest that the base units
are floating. Repetition of square and
rectangular shapes among the elements—
cabinetry, appliances, tiles, and lighting—
maintains visual continuity, which also
enhances spaciousness.
To stretch her remodeling budget
as she grew her kitchen, Kristy used
cabinetry that has an expensive European
look but is made in the United States.
“Keeping appliances and the sink in the
same place also left more money for
splurges like the glass tile backsplash and
aluminum pulls,” she says. Kristy also
purchased a combination microwave/
ventilation hood that saves space and
money, too. “Its white color blends with
the cabinetry and doesn’t scream for
attention,” she says.
Being flexible on appliance choices
can yield big savings, Kristy says. The
couple’s economical slide-in range offers
many of the same features as larger,
pricier models.
Ample and accessible storage was also
important to the couple, as they love to
host large family gatherings. “While the
old kitchen had no pantry, my two new
24-inch-wide pantries offer 10 roll-out
shelves,” Kristy says. Vertical dividers
above the pantries are perfect for storing
cookie sheets, while a corner cabinet
between the sink and dishwasher has
a two-tier lazy Susan. “Upper cabinets
hinged at the top provide wonderful
access because the door is above your
head,” Kristy says. “Nearly all lower
cabinets are drawers for ease of use and
better space utilization.”
In a couple of final bold strokes,
Kristy chose orange quartz surfacing
for the countertops, then replaced dated
linoleum flooring with light ash. The
Forest Stewardship Council-certified
wood planks are 7 inches wide and 8 feet
long, helping the room feel larger. And
their color variations hide nicks.
The flooring isn’t the only eco-friendly
material—Kristy integrated green
elements where possible. “The backsplash
tile is from recycled glass,” she says. “The
cabinets look European but are domestic,
eliminating energy to ship them and
making them more cost-effective. We
also kept as much of the footprint as
possible and reused the original window.
Finally, better light from the family
room and from our new skylight saves on
electricity.”
Now, just one look at this kitchen is
bound to turn anyone green—with envy.
Upper cabinets with
frosted-glass doors
hinge at the top,
providing easy
access to Kristy’s
dinnerware.
8 better homes and gardens | creative spaces
creative spaces
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