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Quartz countertops and stainless steel appliances define the kitchen itself, and it's united with the dining area and living room by the new hardwood floors throughout.
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Big windows on either side of the kitchen help bring the outside in, Kim says. The new kitchen is a welcome change from the previous design that saw upper cabinets on either side of the entrance, which cut it off from adjoining rooms.
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In contrast to the old cabinets and cupboards, the new ones – located above the sinks and below the island, among other places – are much easier to work with, Kim says. Updated appliances include a double oven and stove.
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The kitchen island is entirely new, with chairs and counter seating to make it more inviting.
The kitchen in Don and Kim Reed’s Westerville area home is much bigger today than it was when they bought the house in 2012.
But that growth is only the tip of the iceberg when it comes to the major overhaul the kitchen underwent.
For one thing, its look is decidedly different. Westerville-based Custom Home Works gave it what Kim calls a “mid-century modern” vibe, and that extends to the living area, which is open to the kitchen.
Oh, and the kitchen is also in a completely different part of the house.
The original kitchen was crammed into an oppressively small space – Kim estimates about 20 square feet to move around – leaving precious little room for an expansion.
“It’s a small house, and it was cut off from the rest of the house,” Kim says.
So Custom Home Works physically relocated the kitchen. It was a major undertaking that necessitated, among other things, moving plumbing and heating pipes as well as covering up a fireplace.
The new-and-improved Reed kitchen has significantly more storage and counter space, Kim says. “You actually have space to bring in groceries and set them on the counter,” she says.
Now, the entire first floor is open. And the expanded space means more than one person can be in the kitchen at the same time – good for evenings when Kim and Don are involved in the cooking, even better for company, Kim says.
Garth Bishop is managing editor. Feedback welcome at gbishp@cityscenemediagroup.com.
