house

Kitchen Remodel /  by Michael Johns

My first attempt at a major remodel project, and it was our kitchen. Our house was built in 1925, and it had probably been at least 20 years since improvements were last made on the kitchen. Fortunately, the many owners before us kept most of the original features in tact, such as built ins and an arched entrance to a breakfast nook. The trendy thing to do these days is to rip out as many walls as possible, but we opted to retain these period features and keep the kitchen cozy.

It turned out hiring a design-build firm would put us nearly double over our budget, so we found it necessary to take matters into our own hands. It was a rewarding experience and I’m very proud of the result. It took 2 years of thinking about the design details and just over 2 months to complete the demo and build. Everything was done ourselves aside from the wiring, rough plumbing, counter install, and refinishing the original fur floors. My favorite details are a custom built plate rack made from quarter sawn oak, a ruffled glass pendant light, an antique prep table from the late 18th Century and hutch we’re using as our pantry from the early 20th Century. The soapstone counters and backsplash, with custom end pieces designed by Casey, are also favorites.

This was the process….

…this was the final result.