Sukey Brown had thought about remodeling her kitchen since the time she and her husband, Bo, bought this Kettering house in 1988. “I told Bo before we moved in that I wanted to do a kitchen remodel,” Sukey recalls. “But life happened,” she adds with a sigh. Four growing kids, then college tuition, and home upkeep expenses, including other fix-up projects for their 1942 house, all needed attention. The kitchen was put on the back burner, so to speak. Happily, in 2014 “kitchen” finally made its way to the top spot of the “Let’s do it” list. Also happily, the Browns’ good friend is Winnie Cleavenger, owner of Winteriors, an interior design firm located in Kettering.
“Sukey and I talked about ideas a lot,” Cleavenger says. “The biggest idea was to change the footprint of the kitchen. We were having dinner one night in their old kitchen. I asked what the space behind a kitchen wall was, and they said it was a small bedroom. ‘What about knocking out the wall?’ I asked.”
The Browns went for the idea and plans began to create a splendid kitchen and a sitting space that now runs from the front of the house to the back. The total design of the kitchen changed; even doors that access the space were moved.
Mark Maury of Maury Custom Woodwerks served as the contractor and Amanda Moran of Sims-Lohman was the kitchen designer. “We’re not lah-dee-dah people,” Sukey says. “We wanted a new, fresh look but nothing over-the-top.”
The current high-end stainless steel appliances already in the Brown kitchen were able to be included in the new plan. But all the rest is new—hardwood flooring, cabinetry, lighting, and walls. Never had there been a kitchen island, but the new plan included one that features a stove, oven, and work space at one end and seating area at the other.
In the course of knocking out walls and changing the layout of a room, it sometimes becomes necessary to live with features that must stay. A brick pillar in the Brown kitchen is a good example. It’s needed for mechanical and structural reasons. A stainless steel accent panel was added on one side and the brick pillar, instead of being disguised, is cleverly incorporated as part of the island.
Some choices for the new Brown kitchen were easy: the farm sink, a high-arching Grohe faucet, Metal Art stainless steel subway tile for the backsplash, granite countertops. But other decisions warranted more contemplation.
“The cabinets had been painted three times over the years, that’s how old this kitchen was,” says Sukey. “The latest paint color was a white. I assumed for a total new look we should have dark cabinets but Winnie talked us into a light-colored finish for the main cabinets. We’re glad she did.”
In a remodeling project, high-ticket items like cabinetry should stand the test of time, Cleavenger recommends. “For instance, gray is a popular color now so for the kitchen walls we used the ‘Kendall Charcoal’ Benjamin Moore paint, which is found in other main living spaces at the Brown house,” she says. “We also selected a charcoal gray island cabinet.”
“But gray for the bulk of the cabinets would not have been smart,” she points out. “When gray fades in popularity, the walls and one section of cabinetry can be changed easily.”
Cleavenger also advised against vast expanses of cabinetry. “That can overload a kitchen,” she warns. “I think it’s best to have a killer piece of art instead.”
She indeed found a killer piece of art for the Browns: “Scorched” by Santiago, which looks sensational on the charcoal walls. The art introduces the red color family, also seen on the Safavieh leather counter stools flanking the end of the island. “Bo and Winnie loved these red stools from the get-go. I worried they were a little ‘too OSU’ but now I love them,” Sukey says.
Bo and Sukey love the cozy sitting area that’s part of their new kitchen. It’s especially handy since, as in so many homes, the kitchen is the gathering spot for small and large groups.
The Kendall Charcoal walls continue into this area, tying the two spaces together. Built-in shelving which allows for television viewing from the kitchen and the sitting area, a Hickory sectional sofa, and a Matt Baker custom wood table lend cozy elegance to the space. The Browns already owned the artwork by Terri Hallman, which transitioned quite well to this area.
“We waited a long time for this kitchen remodel and we’re so glad it turned out well,” says Sukey. “We intend to live here for a long time and the kitchen has always been the heart of this home.”
Resources: Contractor: Mark Maury, Mark Maury Woodwerks; Interior designer: Winnie Cleavenger, Winteriors; Kitchen designer: Amanda Moran, Sims-Lohman; Cabinetry: Homecrest and Dynasty, Sims-Lohman; Countertops: Brushed Cambrian Black granite; Sink: Black Blanco Silgranit farm sink; Faucet: Grohe; Appliances: Bosch dishwasher and ovens; Thermador cooktop; Sub-Zero refrigerator; Perlick beverage refrigerator; Lighting: House of Troy picture lights, Kichler pendants, George Kovacs Dart floor lamp; Original artwork: Terri Hallman; Santiago; Paint: Benjamin Moore Kendall Charcoal; Furniture: Hickory sectional sofa; Matt Baker custom wood table; Safavieh Jason counter stools in red leather; Hardwood flooring: All About Hardwood; Backsplash: Metal Art stainless subway tile; Art: Sharon Cook Gallery
Bo and Sukey love the cozy sitting area that’s part of their new kitchen. It’s especially handy since, as in so many homes, the kitchen is the gathering spot for small and large groups.
The Kendall Charcoal walls continue into this area, tying the two spaces together. Built-in shelving which allows for television viewing from the kitchen and the sitting area, a Hickory sectional sofa, and a Matt Baker custom wood table lend cozy elegance to the space. The Browns already owned the artwork by Terri Hallman, which transitioned quite well to this area.
“We waited a long time for this kitchen remodel and we’re so glad it turned out well,” says Sukey. “We intend to live here for a long time and the kitchen has always been the heart of this home.”