A Neat Entry and Head Space in the Kitchen
Cooking can be a pain, when you have two young kids, two dogs and two very busy careers. But it was made considerably worse for my delightful client Anne and her husband Andrew, both of whom are around six feet tall. Their kitchen peninsula was equipped with a low-hanging range hood that a previous (short) owner installed into an 8 ft ceiling. Every time they cooked, they smacked their heads.
That kitchen also had cosmetic problems. The cabinets were old and brown — and the outdated chocolate chip granite countertops made seem dark and grungy.
The range hood question had to be solved first. It would do us no good to design a pretty kitchen that was still a headache. We found a new cooktop with an integrated exhaust fan. Back in the 90s, these were atrocious, but no longer! This meant that the overhead range hood could be removed. It also meant that the new range top exhaust would have to be vented to the exterior. Time to call our favorite contractor—-who came over right away and provided sensible options.
Together, we made a fast trip out to Oakland to choose new kitchen counter material at a substantial discount from what she would have paid locally. We brought in a carpenter we work with a lot, and he tore out the old, glued-in counters without destroying the place.
Next up: The space under the stairs. Having dealt with the scourge of backpacks, shoes, coats and the odd lacrosse stick in our own front halls, we knew what Anne wanted. In that empty, useless space, we would create four lockers, with tall compartments and small cubbies, and space for a tiny dog crate. Ten days later, Anne had her understairs lockers, and the kids’ stuff was already in place.
The kitchen counters went in when the family was on vacation, under our project management. Our carpenter rebuilt a couple of the cabinets to encompass the microwave, which could finally leave the gleaming countertop and still be accessible to the kids. As is often the case, the new counters made the cabinets look old and worn, so we brought in our cabinet painters.
The results are nothing short of glorious — with the gold hardware that Anne loves, it’s a jewel box. Now, when she knocks herself out in the kitchen, it’s because she feels like it!
Before
After
Before
After
“I knew Cathryn was the right fit when she understood our budget, our crazy family life, and our love for pets! She quickly was able to assess our needs and solve a lot of home improvement problems that we wouldn’t have been able to tackle alone. She was very responsive, helpful, and cared about us during the entire process. Cathryn even managed to get us a $200 giftcard from Best Buy when they messed up our service order- no one wants to have to deal with big box customer service! We now have a beautiful new kitchen and kids organization under the stairs!”
