New home construction for a recently widowed husband. He wanted every aspect of this spacious kitchen to embrace Universal Design principles, and it does so in a beautiful way. Anyone and everyone can use this kitchen safely and efficiently. This proves Universal Design does not need to be commercial or industrial looking–it can be extremely aesthetically pleasing. Gaggenau appliances were his only choice throughout the kitchen as he loved their engineering.
Behind The Scenes
A kitchen and beverage center remodel.
The COVID “era” did nothing short of filling my “workload glass” over the edge. In the Fall of 2021, I was asked by one of my favorite DC contractors, Miller & McIntyre, to consult with their client who had a two story bungalow on a quiet street in NW DC’s quaint neighborhood known as Palisades.
This lovely couple with two teenagers were ready to embark on major improvements throughout their home—to include exterior front and back facade facelifts in addition to reworking the main level kitchen space. So major they had to take a very long vacation during the work.
Our client had already expressed their desire to relocate the kitchen to the back of the house along with reconstructing the adjoining space to house a small family/TV room. It was their idea to replace the existing kitchen with a beverage area. Their instincts were “spot on” and it was up to us to fine tune all the details.
The architect came up with the basic plan above for permitting, and then I refined the functional details for the kitchen, beverage and pantry areas.
Some very brief details:
1) Hickory Creek Cabinetry, full overlay. Kitchen: SW “Agreeable Gray” paint with Natural wire brushed Rift Cut White Oak trim and shelves.
Beverage Area Benjamin Moore “Hale Navy”2) Countertops and backsplash:
Kitchen MSI “Q” engineered quartz, 3cm”Calacatta Abezzo” (for both)
Beverage Area Countertop: Wire Brushed Rift Cut White Oak lovingly supplied by Old Town Woodworking in Warrenton, Virginia
Backsplash: Architessa– “Motor City Circles” bianco dolomiti.3) Appliances: Miele coffee maker, Miele refrigerator and DW, Fisher Paykel drawer dishwasher, Subzero ice maker, Subzero refrigerator drawers
4) Plumbing: Kitchen–Kohler Cast Iron sinks; Beverage Area “Ruvati Workstation sink. All faucets Brizo.
5) Island pendants: Warby by Hinkley
For more answers to other questions, please feel free to contact me.
