A KITCHEN IN CRISIS
WITH A DESIGN INTERVENTION
By Stacy Strayer / Photos by Carter Photographics / Before Photos Courtesy of Erica Kalkofen

SINK SOLVED: The shallow, double-bowl sink area of the old kitchen was barely adequate for basic meal prep and clean up. The new kitchen, designed by Erica Kalkofen of EK Kitchens and Design, features a larger, single-bowl sink and hidden power outlets tucked under the bar overhang.

Awkward and shallow, unwelcoming, and full of dark traps – does this describe your kitchen “to a T?” If so, don’t torch the place yet. According to Erica Kalkofen with EK Kitchens and Design, there is a solution. “A few thoughtful changes can dramatically transform this vital space from sorry to sizzle.”

Odd Man Out
“Before the remodel, the kitchen felt really awkward compared to the flow of the great room, living room and dining spaces on the same level,” Erica says. “Even their guests felt it was confining and unwelcoming, which is never the goal of entertaining!” This rings true, especially when your love of cooking for others is intertwined with your profession, as it is for Alyda and Jon Parker, owners of Grand Lake Catering (formerly of JR’s Grill).

They wanted a kitchen that fit their lifestyle – something fun yet functional. As it stood, the clutter of small appliances and other paraphernalia on the counters attested to its lack of storage, and the shallow, double-bowl sink area was barely adequate for basic meal prep and clean-up. The tile countertops not only clashed with the oak and pine cabinets, but since the same hard tile was on the floor, it wreaked havoc on the sensitive arches of their feet and backs. In addition (adding insult to injury), simply standing in the wrong place when the refrigerator doors were open could leave a person trapped!

BEFORE: The clutter of small appliances and other paraphernalia on the counters attested to the former kitchen’s lack of storage. Before photos courtesy of Erica Kalkofen.

A Willing Convert
By revamping both closets into usable storage – one for the refrigerator with tall pantry storage, and one acting as a pantry and coffee service area – they were able to open up the existing footprint of the kitchen. “This created more storage, more efficiency and more light,” says Erica. “And with the addition of a new hickory-wood floor essentially unifying the entire first level, the kitchen became more integral to the space.” Toby Dellamano, of Archer Dream Homes laid the floor and then stained it. “Toby was extremely professional, accommodating, and the work was perfectly done,” says Alyda.

MORE SPACE: Cabinets above the range area were moved to make room for a hood ventilation system, and new storage space was created by straightening out the peninsula wall.

None of the structural walls were moved, but by removing the “wall” to the right of the refrigerator and replacing it with a wet bar and a second sink, “we were able to give the client and their guests a space for mixing drinks and prepping vegetables,” Erica points out.

Straightening out the peninsula wall on the other side helped extend the length of the kitchen and provide one larger, deeper, single-bowl sink making clean up easier. While there are no cabinets around the range, there is actually more storage in this kitchen than before the remodel. “One trick that we employed was to make the cabinets under the window only 12 inches deep instead of 24 inches to center the range and make storage more accessible,” Erica says.

From start to finish, it took four months, which is a long time for cooks to be out of their kitchen. “The process was overwhelming and disruptive, but the best thing we did was hire Erica,” attests Alyda. “It was a collaborative process, with both of us exchanging design ideas, but she is the one that dealt with every detail – her professionalism made it painless.”

“my kitchen isn’t for lookin’, it’s for cookin’” – Alyda Parker

Finally, giving the walls a punch of color, while pairing darker cabinets with lighter, engineered stone counters and tile crowned its new look, now worthy of double takes and dinner parties.

Just because the kitchen acts as a black hole in our homes, with our celestial bodies gravitating toward it for fellowship and sustenance, doesn’t mean it has to look like one!

READ MORE STORIES FROM THIS ISSUE:
• Winter 2011 Articles