and Lowe’s granted kitchen sweepstakes winner Peter Cha $50,000 for remodeling services and materials continue winter, and despite setbacks from Hurricane Sandy (including having no power for eight days), his dream home is now complete.
Cha, who lives in New Jersey along with his wife, two brothers and two in-laws, worked closely with designer Jeff Blum of Sixzero6 Design and builder Michael Sisti to rethink and update the space into a functional, modern and beautiful family kitchen.
Staging by Superior Staging; goods provided by Lowe’s
Rikki Snyder
New cabinetry puts storage where it’s required; the sink cupboard was downsized to carry just the essentials. With of the old sink accessories — like a pullout spray faucet and soap dispenser — cleanup this region is a lot easier.
Cabinetry: Diamond Reflections Heyword Maple doorway in Cider; counters: Stone Systems Sensa Granite, Blanco Leblon; valance: Lowe’s drapery, trimmed to fit the distance; orchids, glass boats: Lowe’s
When Cha built his home in 2004, his family went with a preset builder’s kitchen. While the initial cabinets were in good shape, many were too small to be practical. The bulky fridge cabinet and counter microwave took up precious workspace and made it hard for more than one person to cook at a time.
Rikki Snyder
Cha wanted this kitchen to accommodate all six people in the home comfortably. Storage, workspace and new appliances were in the very top of his wish list.
Although the primary layout remained the same, the layout team moved the fridge and set up an undercounter microwave to preserve counter space.
Range: Samsung; dishwasher: Whirlpool; microwave: GE; coffeemaker, coffee cup, carousel: Lowe’s
Formerly, an unnecessarily big sink base cabinet took square footage away from other cabinetry. Two tiny upper cupboards framing the sink were too small to hold some dishes.
Rikki Snyder
The new cabinetry not only provides more space but coordinates well with the granite counters and mosaic backsplash. Cha wanted lighter wood cabinetry, but Blum encouraged him to go with a warmer tone. “light timber is easier to cool down than warm up,” Blum says. Cool-toned ceramic and granite flooring supply contrast.
The countertops and cabinetry in the Chas’ previous kitchen have been removed and donated to Build It Green, a nonprofit New York socket for construction materials.
Rikki Snyder
A more compact table works well for casual dishes and may seat six. The fridge currently sits against this wall, along with new built-in cabinetry. Cha’s mother and father-in-law had brought many of their possessions with them if they moved in, so storage space was a priority.
Floor tile: Style Selections glazed porcelain, Matte Gray
Although the original kitchen layout included a good work triangle, Sisti and Blum decided to slightly reconfigure items for improved flow and organization. The fridge is still close enough to the cooking space to be accessed readily.
A small laundry area had made this wall at the dining room a joint pantry and utility space. The small room felt even more limited by its side-by-side washer and dryer and awkward wire shelving. “To fix this comingling of functions, we divorced the laundry area in the kitchen,” says Blum.
Rikki Snyder
Closing the entry between both spaces and opening the laundry into the hallway created separation. This wall is fully equipped with built-in pullout pantry shelving.
Refrigerator: Samsung
Rikki Snyder
A stacked washer and dryer help save space in this new laundry room off the hall. Although a new washer and dryer weren’t originally in the budget, the group was able to make the most of a big sale.
Knife, basket, bins: Lowe’s
Cha (pictured here with his brothers and mother- and father-in-law) currently has a beautiful kitchen tailored to his family’s needs. The improved ambience has made a big change in their lifestyle. “I really like the entire feeling,” Cha says. “I actually want to spend some time in there.”
More: How to Remodel Your Kitchen
