A Closer Look at My Kitchen

We’ve lived in our home for 10 years now and while there are several things I’d love to tweak I’m still very pleased with my kitchen and how it functions.

The original house plans called for a wall with typical upper cabinet storage where you now see the bar and barstools.
The kitchen was only partially open to the family room on the left end. We removed this load bearing wall and installed a large beam for support. Hands down the best decision we made!

While I love the kitchen open to the family room I was a bit concerned about the lost storage. But honestly, I’ve not missed those upper cabinets once!

One of the first decisions I had to make, before the foundation was even laid, was my choice of stove. My dream was to have double ovens but I traded that option in with our plan to remove the upper wall. There just wasn’t enough space. I chose a Jenn-Air gas range with a downdraft.

The downdraft allowed us freedom from a range hood and opened up additional storage.

From the get-go my tear sheets, idea pages and inspiration for my kitchen included a mantle.

The storage space above my stove became fully functioning because of the downdraft.

But, as you can see…it’s not the easiest storage to access.

But it’s perfect for rarely used items like Christmas dishes and wedding china…which I can’t seem to part with but never use. 

We also included a spice rack on each side of the range. This is so very handy!
Glass front cabinets flank both sides of the stove. When contemplating kitchen remodels I’ve had clients shy away from glass front cabinets due to the possibility of messy cabinets.
For me, the benefit of a more open and airy feeling in the kitchen far outweighs the mess.

To the right of the stove is a corner cabinet with storage to the ceiling.

The storage below the microwave functions similarly to an appliance garage.

Here I keep a toaster oven, the Keurig (which we don’t use that often), the most used condiments and utensils.
A tiny space, tucked between the fridge and the corner cabinet, left us with just enough space to add a small shelf for cookbooks.

We also included an outlet for the appliances. The storage above the microwave is a bit harder to access. At 5’4″ I can reach the items in the front on the bottom shelf but grab the step stool or ladder for the things farther back.

I opted to leave the space above the fridge open for display instead of closed for storage. An outlet (hidden behind the artwork) is connected to the above cabinet lights which allows the lamp to be turned on with a wall switch. One of my favorite details!

The lower cabinets flanking the stove include three drawers, which I LOVE, on each side.

Currently, we are slowly but surely repainting the interior of our home. Very. Slowly.
I’m making new window treatments for the kitchen, which I can’t wait to show you, and contemplating painting the kitchen cabinets. There…I’ve said it out loud! I really want to repaint them but haven’t quite psyched myself up for it just yet! 🙂 I’ll keep you informed.