Modern Kitchen Refresh
Giving This Ann Arbor Kitchen a Transformed Look While Keeping Within the Same Footprint
The Story
Client Goals
The kitchen is the hub of the home, but that hub can become backlogged if you can’t get around the open refrigerator door!
Our clients for this kitchen remodel were a family of five, but really six, counting their adorable pup. This family had purchased their forever home in 2021 but soon realized that their Ann Arbor kitchen needed to be remodeled for optimal living. They found Forward Design Build Remodel through the best way possible, a referral, and we were able to build a fast relationship with them.
In the original kitchen, the counters and appliances were spread out over the small area, making the kitchen more discombobulated than necessary. The refrigerator lived next to the entryway, ensuring that the route to the dining room was blocked off any time the fridge door was open. If you’ve ever been in a kitchen, you know how often the refrigerator door is open. The materials, appliances, and cupboards desperately needed an update in quality and design.
The Plan
For this kitchen remodel, we created a continuous, open space by removing the separate counters with differing levels and adding a long line of single-level counters that opened the field of vision and expanded the room without removing any walls. We also re-arranged and updated appliances so that no pathways were blocked. At the end of the kitchen opposite the dining room, we added custom cabinetry that added storage capacity and height to the kitchen. With intentional appliance, cabinet, and counter placement, we renovated the kitchen to feel like a much larger room without changing the kitchen's structure.
Elevated Cabinetry
We pulled out the coffee nook-style separated base and wall cabinets on the far side of the kitchen and installed pantry cabinets to draw the eye up and maximize storage cohesively immediately. The Bertch pantry cabinets in Grove also served as a design highlight in this, and the gold Top Knob Riverside cabinet pulls add a touch of elegance to this Ann Arbor kitchen remodel. These choices are an excellent example of how kitchen remodeling is achieved by upgrading cabinets and appliances and reimagining how space is utilized through savvy design.
Border-Defining Cabinets
We added a connected line of low cabinets to define the kitchen space and add to the communal feel with a connected counter space. The Bertsch counters in Dawn added a warm, comfortable ambiance to the kitchen and accented the Grove-hued pantry cabinets at the end of the kitchen. The gold Top Knob Riverside cabinet pulls tied the two cabinet styles together, keeping with our theme of community and cohesion throughout this kitchen remodel.
The countertops added a touch of color and energy with their cream, black, and gold patterns that also cleverly hide the messes that inevitably happen in a house full of people. The Chloe ceramic subway tile in white helped tie the countertops in with the rest of the kitchen, finishing out the calming yet elegant palette of this Ann Arbor kitchen renovation.
Hosting Amenities
The low cabinets allow for conversation on either side of the kitchen counters - once again opening up a space without removing a single wall. We also added a beverage fridge at the edge of these cabinets for easy access and to facilitate easy conversation during gatherings. Every element of this kitchen remodel was designed with ease, comfort, and socializing in mind. The counter and appliance re-design allows for socializing while cooking, but the flow of the kitchen allows for easy work and any time of day. Our intentional kitchen remodel designs created a modern, slightly biophilic kitchen remodel that is remarkably inviting and comfortable.
See What Our Client’s Say
The Outcome
“We were impressed with how Forward Design Build Remodel built a relationship with us while remodeling our kitchen. They arrived promptly at 8 a.m. daily and were always cognizant that they were working in our home. We would absolutely go through this process again with them.” - Kevin & Jessica
