Before And After

This little nook was taken out with the wall on the right removed and the kitchen is now open to the dining room. This wall now makes a beautiful statement, doesn’t it? The cropped corner is especially nice because it keeps the pathway into the kitchen nice and wide and can help to keep your hip from becoming too bruised.

The refrigerator now has a full-sized 24” deep cabinet over it. This is such a good move. It keeps the clutter off the top of the refrigerator and gives you a usable deep cabinet. Does your refrigerator have a stubby little 12” deep cabinet over it? We can help you change that!

The range was on the wall that is now open to the dining room but there was only a 6” little slit. With the added cabinets to the new range area, there is more storage space and the opportunity to really open the kitchen to the family room.

Can you spot all the changes just in this 1 shot? The soffits have been eliminated and the cabinets are brought to the top with appropriately sized molding. The arched door style has been replaced with a simple and elegant door style. The cabinet over the refrigerator is now a usable cabinet. And the color! WOW! Attention getter!!

Here, Diane removed the wall oven cabinet, opening up the kitchen a little more and enabling a seating area at the end of the counter, which was there before, without butting up to a wall. You can see and talk to the cook!

The 3 wall cabinets and desktop were removed and a tall cabinet put in its place. There is a heater under the cabinet, so the cabinet had to be mounted on the wall. The original pantry was a closet and now that was taken out and a tall cabinet and wall and a base cabinet were put there. We have seen it before, sometimes a cabinet like this will give you more storage space than what you have in a closet.

Before there wasn’t much counter top space, with no space on either side of the oven, and space only on one side of the refrigerator and the cooktop. The microwave is no longer sitting on the countertop. A much better plan all the way around? Does your kitchen need a better plan than what you have now? Call Diane to see what she can do for your plan today!

I love this! From the outside looking in, it’s open, it’s inviting, come and sit and enjoy! The cabinets have been removed from the dining area of the kitchen. Now you might think you’re losing all those cabinets, but just wait! No, you’re not. Diane added 2 cabinets on the back side. And you’ll see, there’s more space coming!

And from inside the kitchen, it’s so open you’ll feel like a family again. And it doesn’t feel as tight when there are more than 2 – 3 people in the kitchen.

The soffits have been taken out and the cabinets are now going to the ceiling. The cabinet over the refrigerator is deeper, making the cabinet useful. Adding appropriately sized crown molding makes the kitchen look like a “finished” kitchen.

Oh, my goodness how tiny this kitchen feels!! Diane brought the peninsula cabinets to the edge of the wall and then angled the peninsula out. She was then able to add 12” to the end of the peninsula countertop to add another seat at the counter. Diane also took out the closet/pantry. For the amount of space it took up, it didn’t hold very much. Putting in a pantry cabinet 24” deep with roll-out shelves afforded much more space and opens the kitchen drastically.

Diane replaced the cathedral wall cabinets (why cathedral in such a tiny kitchen?) with a square panel, extending the cabinets to the ceiling. This adds so much more cabinet space, as does the cabinet over the refrigerator that was extended over the full depth of the refrigerator. This cabinet also becomes much more useful. In the original kitchen, quarter-round was used, which made the kitchen look piecemeal. Bringing the cabinets up almost to the ceiling and then adding appropriately sized crown molding makes the kitchen look like a “finished” kitchen.

This kitchen has a lot that has changed! Let’s take a look. First, I must mention that the kitchen is much brighter. Huge improvement over the old lighting system!
The peninsula in the before picture makes it look like there is a cabinet and useable storage. Guess what – empty space!! (You need to click on the picture) Now there is a cabinet with roll-out shelves.
I love varied heights in a kitchen, but not when it has chair rail up there. The cabinets are all the same height and it has a beautiful beefy crown! Makes more of a statement than chair rail. The glass cabinets at the top add another layer of interest to this kitchen and the look travels into the Butlers Pantry.

Please note that a big change is the waste bin is now in a cabinet instead of sitting in the open. It wasn’t moved far; it sits in the 1st cabinet to the left in the after photo. With the cabinets and crown being taller and going to the ceiling, even the space above the window has a more interesting look. That left plenty of room for those nice wide drawers.

Notice there are now drawers instead of the cabinets? Even with roll out shelves, it’s less complicated to get to everything when it’s a drawer. A full-extension drawer allows you to find your strawberry stem remover from the back of the bottom drawer. How it got there is another subject. The diagonal corner cabinets give you more storage room and gives the kitchen a softer look.

The Butlers Pantry has taller wall cabinets (to match the kitchen) and still room for the beautiful crown. The mullions were not used again in the Butlers Pantry to tie the kitchen and the Butlers Pantry together.
The lighting is definitely much better! Under cabinet lighting and also the lighting in the cabinet itself. Now you can clearly see what is on every shelf, all the way to the back.
The overlay for the cabinets is now full overlay, this looks so much better and the hardware makes the cabinetry easier to open and shut.

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A nice bright kitchen! The soffits are gone, so you have more cabinet space, topped off with a beautiful but simple crown. It adds such a nice finishing touch, doesn’t it? The square valance was replaced with a nice arched valance.

The refrigerators are getting taller and you have to make accommodations for them, so the soffits were removed. This allowed for a cabinet to be above the refrigerator. The cabinet is now 24” deep and to give it a beautiful touch and a built-in look, a panel was added. The base cabinets are now drawers except for 1 cabinet.

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Look at the difference! There is a lot more cabinet storage space by removing the soffits. Changing the design from a peninsula to an island design greatly increases traffic flow. This also added 2 more places to sit and eat.

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The corner sink is moved to the center of the island. They decided to go with drawers again where feasible. The waste bin has been put inside a cabinet (to the right of the dishwasher) instead of in the walkway. The desk has been done away with altogether. More and more families are finding this just isn’t a good use of space.

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You’ll notice that drawers are now used instead of cabinets with shelves. It makes it so easy to see everything. Kind of like a roll out shelf except that with a drawer you have the depth of the drawer to keep everything in.

This update to the hutch area allows for a storage place, yet still has a place for displaying pretty things. Perfect for a phone station. In our showroom, we have outlets that have 2 USB ports. You can get them at any hardware or building supply store. This update is more stable and looks more permanent.

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What a difference! The cabinets were stained a dark brown and now, with the painted cabinets, the kitchen seems much brighter. The door style was a contemporary door style, and it still is, but with a little more interest and the long sleek pulls on all the doors and drawers make sure that the look stays as a contemporary look. The refrigerator was moved, so it now has counter space on either side. The dishwasher was very inconvenient to use if you wanted to use your sink at the same time. A waste bin was put in the cabinet next to the sink. Because we used a diagonal cabinet in the corner, we were able to add a Super Susan to the layout as well. A Super Susan has a shelf under the top rack for additional support.

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The refrigerator was moved just a little, making the cold storage center well suited for it’s task. Plenty of space to do the job before and after preparing the meals. A nice pantry cabinet with 5 roll out shelves was also put in this area. Most of the cabinets have drawers instead of doors with shelves. It’s so much easier to look for something in a drawer. The microwave was also put in this area.

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We take out the soffits and replace them with taller wall cabinets, giving more storage space and definitely a more updated look. The arched raised paneled cabinet doors are replaced with a more updated look with a square raised panel door.

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The clients had a very nice kitchen, but it was time to update. A plan that works out great in one decade, just doesn’t quite cut the mustard in the next decade. So a few changes were needed. On the wall to the left of the range, the under-counter refrigerator was moved and a 3 drawer base was added at that position. Over the refrigerator, the cabinet depth was increased to 24”. (Hip-hip-hooray!)

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Isn’t this a beautiful kitchen? It’s the same wood and stain that is in the showroom in the Mission Kitchen. This kitchen was tucked away in several different areas and Diane opened up the area by removing walls and bringing everything together. There are cabinets that are off the beaten path. There was also that shallow cabinet above the refrigerator. A 12” deep cabinet over the refrigerator is useless if you put anything on top of the refrigerator. The before and after shots are awe-inspiring.

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We replaced all of the base and cold storage area cabinets with rich warm chocolate brown cabinets, making the kitchen feel warmer. We were working with a very small kitchen so to keep it looking uniform and not broken up, Diane put a panel on the dishwasher.

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we removed the soffits. The soffits take up a lot of valuable real estate in the kitchen, which means we were able to put in taller wall cabinets. That’s a lot of cabinet space! Do the math! Almost 14 square feet of extra cabinets in just the straight cabinets alone! We also added a diagonal wall cabinet, which adds more storage space as well. The refrigerator was outside of the kitchen area in the dining area. In the new kitchen, the refrigerator, range and microwave are all centrally located. Opening up the kitchen area gave us room to put an island in with an additional seating area. The peninsula was also removed, opening the kitchen area to the more traditional seating area. The cabinet above the refrigerator is usually not good for much. It’s too high to reach over the refrigerator and too far back, but Diane always uses a 24” deep cabinet, saving the day! And why pay good money for a cabinet that’s useless?

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The microwave was so big, it did not look like there was enough room to cook, and if you love to cook, this will not make you happy. We added a cabinet over the sink with glass doors for added texture and an arched valance for interest. We used a nice simple shaker door style, with nice wide stiles and rails (3.25”). The diagonal base cabinet has a nice Super Susan in it and of course over the refrigerator is a nice deep cabinet.

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This kitchen went from a darker stain with an arched door panel to a cool Maple Fog stain with a Graphite Wash on the Winslow door with 3″ stiles and rails. The cabinets now go to the ceiling giving more cabinet space and eliminating the dust catcher space above. There is a very sharp looking 2 piece crown molding that really sets off the door style. The desk area now has a higher counter top giving even more storage space. The cabinet above the desk has glass doors giving light, added texture and storage for the pretty things. The refrigerator has side panels for a built in look when coupled with the deep cabinet above the oven for storing cookie sheets and casserole dishes, something that is normally hard to retrieve easily without the added vertical dividers and shelves.

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Hot tip!

For updating and getting more cabinet space at the same time: Remove the soffits! There was a really nice pass-thru added that really opened up the kitchen. The oven cabinet at the end, near the patio doors were boxing in the kitchen, so we removed that and put in a wall cabinet with glass doors, adding more texture and making the kitchen feel larger.

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WOW!!

Now here is a change!! The changes in this kitchen are amazing! From a dark stain to a painted white, an arched raised panel to a sleek mission style and last but certainly not least is the change from standard overlay doors to inset doors. The soffits are gone. The floor is now a wood floor. Two peninsulas were removed and now there is an island making the flow so much better!

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The kitchen is now open to the dining room, taking away that feeling of disconnect.

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The soffits are out, alotting more space for storage and enough to be able to add glass doors for the pretty things. Because there is no soffit, there is room to add a decent size crown. Here, Diane removed the desk area, so the kitchen area is extended more into the eating area. The baking area now includes the microwave. The pantry cabinet now has 5 roll out shelves.

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“WOW!

How open and inviting the new kitchen is!

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The kitchen was tucked away in several different areas. The cooking area was set apart with little counter area to the right. The cabinets that hung over the cooktop made you feel detached from the action, whether at the stove or at the very tiny eating area. Standing at the cooktop after the remodel is a whole new experience! You no longer have that feeling of disconnect and claustrophobia. There is plenty of space by the cooktop and 2 additional places to eat.

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The soffits take up valuable real estate in a kitchen. By removing them you give yourself more cabinet space and if you like, your pretty things are no longer relegated to a box in the basement, but put on display with glass doors and even lights. Under cabinet lighting is another welcome addition when doing a remodel.

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There was an area that had painted cabinets and they didn’t match the others. The kitchen now looks put together and works like a dream. The before and after shots are awe-inspiring.

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The wine rack was inaccessible by most adults, but is now reachable. One big difference is the ease with which the drawers open and close.

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We added the framework for the new cutout to the dining area, which makes a beautiful frame for the new kitchen.

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Let’s start with the back entrance to the kitchen. The room was torn out and it’s now open to the kitchen. You can see it in the picture on the right. There is a place for the boots and shoes, coats and purses, hats and packages as you walk in. There is even a place to sit when you take your boots off. How handy is that?

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Diane used glass on 2 sides of the cabinet at the end adding visual appeal to the dining area. Also note the soffits are gone, increasing storage space. Look at that copper sink!

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The peninsula is removed for better flow in the kitchen. Another interesting feature is the side panel on the refrigerator. Adds a built in look to the appliance. Speaking of appliances, in the island there is a heavy duty lift up shelf for the wieghty mixers, like KitchenAid.

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The microwave was moved from over the range to a wall cabinet near by in the beverage center.

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The desk area was taken out and replaced with a beverage center. This area actually goes around the corner. The cabinet above the coffee maker that you see will hold a TV for keeping up with all the news. Around the corner is the microwave.

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This kitchen is another kitchen with many changes. The changes here are also striking because the colors changed so dramatically. The microwave area has now become an area for a double oven, a delight for bakers! An ideal cabinet over the double ovens is a perfect place for putting in vertical dividers for cookie sheets, cutting boards and 9 X 13 baking pans. Resting on their side and divided by a partition makes them all handy to access!

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The eating area was tiny and off in the corner. Diane brought this area to a more functional use and brought the diners into the ‘fun center’ of the kitchen. It also allowed for a second pantry cabinet to be placed in the kitchen, and who doesn’t want 2 pantries in the kitchen? The new placement also allowed for a 24″ deep cabinet over the refrigerator.

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Gone are the cabinets that cause claustrophobia and tend to make a person feel isolated in the kitchen. As you can see in this shot from outside the kitchen, it really opens it up. Also going from a range (with 1 oven) to a cook top allowed for the cabinet with double 30″ ovens, which you see at the top right. You can also see the second pantry in that same picture.

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The knick-knack shelves to the left and right of the sink have been removed allowing for more cabinet space. The arched valance hides the light and the bar of the blinds. It also brings cohesiveness to the cabinets and gives an interesting focal point to this area.

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With the peninsula moved we created a focal point to the wall cabinet by adding glass doors with a matching finished interior. The cabinets ends have been finished with door panels giving this area something beautiful to look at from every angle. Removing the soffit that was over the peninsula opens the area and makes it welcoming instead of dividing it.

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The old pantry cabinet was taken out, including the wall space above, it to add more storage space to the cabinet. The cabinet has a decorative door end panel that adds a nice touch. The crown adds a finished look to the area. It no longer looks like there’s something missing.

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The tile counter-top definitely dates this bathroom, as does the drop in sink and the standard overlay on the cabinets. The layout of the cabinets has also been updated with a cabinet now in the open space. The drawers make everything easier to see and reach with out laying on the floor to access it. I love that square sink!

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What a remarkable difference! The shower was torn out, along with the wall you see here, opening up the bathroom. A separate vanity was placed here, giving more storage space and each person, their own personal area.

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See what I mean? This was a very small place to share. The new vanity is the back-saver height, so of course there is more storage space. Having only 1 sink in the cabinet also provides for more storage area, as you don’t have to provide for double the sink space.

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The hot tub was pulled out and a nice big, spacious shower was installed! Note the shower step and the top of the half walls are topped with the same material as the counter tops. There is also a seat in the shower made of the same material.