Kitchen Remodel in Vadnais Heights MN

Today we're sharing the details about a kitchen remodel we recently completed for a family in Vadnais Heights, Minnesota. Their split level, single family home was originally built in 1979. The homeowners had painted their cabinets white but still struggled with the size and layout of the kitchen. Aside from feeling very small, the space lacked natural light, was blocked off by other living spaces, and the cabinets were falling apart. The family wanted to create a light, bright white kitchen while also making the most of the space. In addition, they wanted to improve the flow from their main living area to their family room addition, which was separated by the kitchen.

Project Goals:

Improved flow from room to room
Updated cabinets with better storage
A large island for the family to eat in
Wood flooring
More natural light

When the home was built, the kitchen was at the back of the house and had a window above the sink overlooking the backyard. Later, the homeowners added a new family room addition off the kitchen for extra living space. While the added space was a bonus, it eliminated their only source of natural light and caused the main area to become dysfunctional.Creating an open concept floor plan between the main living area and the family room addition posed the biggest challenge for our team. The amount of room we had to work with was dictated by a header and vaulted ceiling. To help the kitchen feel bigger and more open, we removed the east interior wall. With the wall removed, we demoed the popcorn ceiling, soffits, laminate wood flooring, and carpet. Then we gutted the whole kitchen down to the studs. Once everything had been removed, we relocated the plumbing and updated the electrical and HVAC. We also added a window to the north exterior wall to combat the lack of natural light.During the design process, Designer Ashley Boeck's goal was to keep the working triangle near one another. She created a layout that not only enhanced the prepping/cooking area but also added a little "overflow" to the kitchen. She designed a pantry cabinet and appliance garage to store dry goods and small appliances on the far wall. Ashley's design also added additional wall and base cabinets to house a coffee station, linens, seasonal dishes, and the ever-important junk drawer.The clients wanted to stick with the look of white cabinets, which added to the brightness of the space. Installing 5-foot rain glass pocket doors also lightened and improved the flow from the kitchen and family room. To add a little contrast, we used a quartz countertop from Cambria in the Bellingham design. This countertop was the perfect choice because of the color variation found throughout, which enhanced the matte black accents we used for the hardware and light fixtures. To complete the design, we installed a subtle grey subway tile. The tile not only complements the entire design but also pulled out the "greige" from the countertops.

Design Details:

Cabinets: Crystal Cabinets in Designer White in the Ridgeway door style
Countertops: Cambria Bellingham Design with Ridgeline Edge Profile (perimeter) and Basin Edge Profile (Island)
Sink: Elkay Lustertone Stainless Steel Double Bowl Undermount Sink with Perfect Drain
Floor: Floors by Steve Hickory Hardwood with a custom stain
Lighting: Muska Lighting

When asked what her favorite detail about this remodel was, Ashley said, "I personally like the function of this kitchen the best. Their kitchen space before was tiny, so anything was better, but being able to create a wonderful solution for this family gives me happiness. Don’t get me wrong, the design of this kitchen is fresh and serene, but the functionality is even better."Our team loved working with these homeowners to create a beautiful, yet functional kitchen to fit their lifestyle. Check out the before and after photos below!