Kitchen of the Week: More Storage and a Better Layout
With four children ranging in age from younger than 2 to 10 years old, Kevin and Jenny Jarvis knew when they purchased their Danville, California, ranch-style home that they would have to expand the existing tight U-shaped kitchen to make it more workable for their active family. “I spend at least 40 percent of the day in the kitchen, so I wanted a space that felt light and open,” Jenny says.
Photos by Kitchens of Diablo
Kitchen at a Glance
Location: Danville, California
Who lives here: Kevin and Jenny Jarvis and their four children
Size: 326 square feet (30.3 square meters)
Designer: Shelley Lober of Kitchens of Diablo
BEFORE: The original U-shaped layout, cherry cabinets and granite countertops lacked the function, storage, style and workspace desired for this active family of six. (The family donated the countertops, light fixtures and appliances to Habitat for Humanity.)
Kitchen at a Glance
Location: Danville, California
Who lives here: Kevin and Jenny Jarvis and their four children
Size: 326 square feet (30.3 square meters)
Designer: Shelley Lober of Kitchens of Diablo
BEFORE: The original U-shaped layout, cherry cabinets and granite countertops lacked the function, storage, style and workspace desired for this active family of six. (The family donated the countertops, light fixtures and appliances to Habitat for Humanity.)
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AFTER: Designer Shelley Lober gained more space by knocking down a wall that separated the original kitchen from a dining room, increasing the size of the kitchen from 135 square feet to 326 square feet. The new space allowed for a large island with plenty of seating and a walk-in pantry.
The backsplash tile behind the range inspired the gray and white color scheme. White painted maple wood cabinets feature Shaker-style doors, satin nickel knobs and pulls, and crown molding.
Paint by Kelly-Moore Paints: Greyswood KM3958-3 (walls), Rice Straw KM3953-1 (ceiling), Swiss Coffee KM1050-023 (trim); cabinets: Dura Supreme Cabinetry; cabinetry hardware:Richelieu
The backsplash tile behind the range inspired the gray and white color scheme. White painted maple wood cabinets feature Shaker-style doors, satin nickel knobs and pulls, and crown molding.
Paint by Kelly-Moore Paints: Greyswood KM3958-3 (walls), Rice Straw KM3953-1 (ceiling), Swiss Coffee KM1050-023 (trim); cabinets: Dura Supreme Cabinetry; cabinetry hardware:Richelieu
Two different countertop materials — granite for the island, quartz for the perimeter — create visual interest and help break up the space. “It would make this kitchen seem too narrow and long if we used the same material for both the island and perimeter counters,” Lober says. “We wanted to break up the room so it doesn’t look like a bowling alley.”
The island features an open bookcase for cookbooks, a prep sink, a full-size second oven used during large parties and holiday meals, and drawers located on the end across from the range for pots and pans.
A 4-by-4-foot corner walk-in pantry with a pinpoint glass door includes floor-to-ceiling shelves for dry goods and small appliances, helping reduce clutter in the main space.
Perimeter counters: Stormy Sky BS250, PentalQuartz; island top: White Spring granite,Instone; spun-glass pendants over island: discontinued, but see similar style here; stainless steel island sink: Lustertone single-bowl undermount, Elkay; stainless steel sink faucet: one-handle arc pull-down, Arbor collection, Moen; stainless steel dishwasher:Bosch; stainless steel French-door refrigerator: LG
The island features an open bookcase for cookbooks, a prep sink, a full-size second oven used during large parties and holiday meals, and drawers located on the end across from the range for pots and pans.
A 4-by-4-foot corner walk-in pantry with a pinpoint glass door includes floor-to-ceiling shelves for dry goods and small appliances, helping reduce clutter in the main space.
Perimeter counters: Stormy Sky BS250, PentalQuartz; island top: White Spring granite,Instone; spun-glass pendants over island: discontinued, but see similar style here; stainless steel island sink: Lustertone single-bowl undermount, Elkay; stainless steel sink faucet: one-handle arc pull-down, Arbor collection, Moen; stainless steel dishwasher:Bosch; stainless steel French-door refrigerator: LG
Clear acrylic chairs provide easy-to-clean seating where the kids eat breakfast and do homework.
The new durable engineered white oak floor adds warmth and complements the wood tones on the base of the island. “I like the variety of color in the floor, and it offers texture, which is great for hiding scratches,” Jenny says.
Island stools: CB2; flooring: Carpet One
The new durable engineered white oak floor adds warmth and complements the wood tones on the base of the island. “I like the variety of color in the floor, and it offers texture, which is great for hiding scratches,” Jenny says.
Island stools: CB2; flooring: Carpet One
Jenny found and fell in love with pointed-oval crackled-glass mosaic tile she saw at a local tile store, and used it to create an eye-catching design over the range. “As a child I lived in Turkey for a couple of years, and the shape of the tile reminded me of Turkey and the Mediterranean, but it had a modern and clean feel,” she says.
Backsplash field tile and design:Siena Tile and Stone; stainless steel range: GR304 30-inch gas range, Wolf; stainless steel hood:Zephyr
Backsplash field tile and design:Siena Tile and Stone; stainless steel range: GR304 30-inch gas range, Wolf; stainless steel hood:Zephyr
Lober expanded this doorway connecting the living room to the kitchen to create the more open plan. On this side of the island, 12-inch-deep knotty alder wood cabinets with a hazelnut stain and a black glaze contrast the surrounding white painted maple cabinets. “When you open up these cabinets, you can see everything and nothing gets lost,” Lober says.
Lober created specific work zones on the sink wall and defined a bar area by bumping out and up a section of counter that holds the microwave. “When we were laying this out and having it one level, it made the kitchen look crazy long,” Lober says. “The bump-out broke up the space, defined the kitchen from the bar area, and it also puts the microwave at a more usable height.”
The bar area has a stainless beverage refrigerator, slide-out wicker baskets for fresh fruits and vegetables (sometimes also home to art supplies for the kids), and cubbyholes for bottles of wine.
Stainless steel beverage refrigerator: Electrolux; stainless steel microwave: Kenmore; stainless steel main kitchen sink: Elumina single-bowl undermount, Elkay
The bar area has a stainless beverage refrigerator, slide-out wicker baskets for fresh fruits and vegetables (sometimes also home to art supplies for the kids), and cubbyholes for bottles of wine.
Stainless steel beverage refrigerator: Electrolux; stainless steel microwave: Kenmore; stainless steel main kitchen sink: Elumina single-bowl undermount, Elkay
A new hallway created off the garage allowed space for a powder room and this new 5-by-11-foot mudroom that helps the family stay organized as they go in and out. Lockers for each of the four children hold jackets, caps, schoolbooks and other personal items, while cubbyholes hold baskets for smaller items to help the kitchen stay free from clutter. Drawers store clean socks. “It’s so wonderful; before we had, like, 30 pairs of shoes at the front door constantly,” Jenny says.
BEFORE: The plan of the original kitchen illustrates its size constraints and its layout that felt closed off from the surrounding living spaces.
AFTER: The expanded kitchen offers work zones and a better connection with the rest of the home.
“It’s very livable,” Jenny says. “I love how everything has a dedicated spot, which is important when you have a family of six.”
“It’s very livable,” Jenny says. “I love how everything has a dedicated spot, which is important when you have a family of six.”