Before renovation

The kitchen had to be kid-friendly, have plenty of room for guests to gather, ready to tackle family meals or formal dinners with equal aplomb, easy care, blend with the eclectic tone of the home and have that 'Wow' factor. The new kitchen now is a spectacular blend of materials, textures, and colors.

A special touch - two of the upper cabinets are glass in both front and back. Installed in front of transom windows, these cabinets supply showcase storage without blocking natural light.

Cabinets in two different wood species and finishes were selected - maple and cherry, both with specialty glazes.

During the day natural light pours in through two new skylights, the four casement windows and arch top picture window. In addition, there is an abundance of task and general lighting in the pendant lights over the counter, recessed lights in the ceiling, and undercabinet lighting. Special over-the-cabinet lighting creates a wondrous play of shadows on the cathedral ceiling.

Maple base cabinets house the built-in microwave and disguise two Bosch dishwashers that flank the sink and a Dacor warming drawer in addition to supplying lots of storage space.

Granite was chosen to complement the warm tones of the wood and is used on the large U-shaped countertop. The granite follows the bumped-out contour of the sink cabinet adding an interesting focal point. Floating above the granite countertop is an angled breakfast bar of polished, dark gray concrete supported on antiqued copper posts.