New Layout and a Longer Island for a Roomier Family Kitchen
Photos by LOMA Studios
Kitchen at a Glance
Who lives here: A young couple with three kids
Location: Clarendon Hills, Illinois
Size: 190 square feet (17.7 square meters)
Designer: Susan Klimala of The Kitchen Studio of Glen Ellyn
An open flow, fresh color palette and seating for every member of the family was the goal for the renovation of the kitchen, mudroom and breakfast area in this suburban Chicago home. Designer Susan Klimala devised a floor plan with an island running the length of the kitchen and facilitating an easy flow to the adjacent breakfast area. The designer also brought new Shaker-style cabinets up to the ceiling to maximize storage and visually enlarge the space.
“At first the homeowners were thinking about just painting the cabinets white and a few other minor changes,” Klimala says. “But as we dug into the project, the scope of the remodel expanded.”
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Kitchen at a Glance
Who lives here: A young couple with three kids
Location: Clarendon Hills, Illinois
Size: 190 square feet (17.7 square meters)
Designer: Susan Klimala of The Kitchen Studio of Glen Ellyn
An open flow, fresh color palette and seating for every member of the family was the goal for the renovation of the kitchen, mudroom and breakfast area in this suburban Chicago home. Designer Susan Klimala devised a floor plan with an island running the length of the kitchen and facilitating an easy flow to the adjacent breakfast area. The designer also brought new Shaker-style cabinets up to the ceiling to maximize storage and visually enlarge the space.
“At first the homeowners were thinking about just painting the cabinets white and a few other minor changes,” Klimala says. “But as we dug into the project, the scope of the remodel expanded.”
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Before: The previous kitchen included light-stained wood cabinets and dark granite countertops. It also featured a small center island and a peninsula that cut off the flow to the breakfast area and had room for just four stools.
After: The new six-burner gas range is in the same spot as the old range, but Klimala relocated the refrigerator to the side wall of the kitchen. “The old configuration looked too crowded,” she says. “This new one makes the space feel more open.”
The designer removed the small island and peninsula in favor of a long center island with enough room for five counter stools — one for each member of the family. The base of the new island is covered in dark gray shiplap. The countertops are white quartz that mimics the look of marble. The original wood floors were refinished.
Shop for wood-and-metal counter stools
The designer removed the small island and peninsula in favor of a long center island with enough room for five counter stools — one for each member of the family. The base of the new island is covered in dark gray shiplap. The countertops are white quartz that mimics the look of marble. The original wood floors were refinished.
Shop for wood-and-metal counter stools
The renovated mudroom is to the left of the range. Klimala enlarged the opening leading to the room and added transom windows above. She also had the door and window trim painted black to make it look like metal. “We went with a minimalist, clean, industrial look that feels light, bright and airy.”
The mudroom floor is covered in mosaic porcelain tiles that replicate the look of encaustic cement tiles. The new custom built-ins in the mudroom are a dark gray matched to the island base.
The mudroom floor is covered in mosaic porcelain tiles that replicate the look of encaustic cement tiles. The new custom built-ins in the mudroom are a dark gray matched to the island base.
Before: The former breakfast area featured a built-in breakfast bar with light-stained wood cabinets and dark granite countertops.
After: Klimala painted the lower cabinets of the breakfast bar the same charcoal gray used for the island and mudroom built-ins. The upper cabinets are new and feature reeded glass doors. The designer also added new molding at the top of the cabinets to fill a gap between the ceiling. A new round dining table and lantern-style chandelier in brushed gold complete the look.