Karla & Steve Armes loved everything about their Oceanside home except their uninviting kitchen.
The poor quality of cabinetry made opening a drawer a task and the pantry was built around an angled wall making it inadequate and the access difficult. The refrigerator was too close to the corner making it awkward. The lighting was poor and the island offered little in the way of storage. The Armes wanted their kitchen not only to be more functional but they wanted the look and feel of a beach cottage while keeping their existing appliances and tile floor.
We began by removing the dated fluorescent light box and replaced it with canned lights. A built- in wine rack with storage below replaced the pantry which adds interest and allowed room for the refrigerator to be moved away from the corner. The new efficient pantry with roll out shelves is now positioned at the other end of the kitchen.
We removed the walls surrounding the old island. That allowed us to create a bi-level island. The lower work area was topped off with a maple butcher block where Karla can prepare dinner while keeping a close eye on her boys who can now do their home work at the raised granite top. Not only does the island have a great storage for pots and pans and a recycle center, it also has a cabinet facing the dining area for table linens.
