Open to change

Remodeling can often be a case of change what you can and skillfully adapt what you can't. This is particularly true when the project involves a kitchen that needs to grow for increased family use even if there is nowhere to actually expand to.

When designer Judy Mozen undertook this project it had particular relevance for her she had designed the house more than twenty years before. However, times change and the owners wanted the new kitchen to be sleek and modern, with more room to move even though the existing kitchen was bound by walls on three sides.

"The solution, in part, was to introduce a long, narrow island to the kitchen which helped free up much-needed floor space," says Mozen. "We also removed a balustrade between the kitchen and living area and replaced it with three steps this optimized connections between these spaces. The wall partition between the kitchen and the dining room was also reworked and improved."

The original kitchen had been in traditional oak, complete with wood floors. Mozen changed the feel of the space, partly through the switch from rustic wood to dark, modern cabinetry with slender, contemporary pulls.

Cabinetry designer Shirley McFarlane says the maple cabinetry doors are simple in design, with a dusk finish that augments the minimalist tone and allows the maple wood grain to show through.

Another important addition was the introduction of a feature glass table, which can be raised or lowered, set at the end of the island.

As with many great ideas, a simple effect can require a major undertaking. Introducing the heavy glass surface and its stainless steel support, combined with a decision to floor the area in hard-wearing tiles, added considerably to the overall weight. Consequently, an engineered floor system with wood blocking and bracing was installed to support these elements.

Mozen says the extensive behind-the-scenes work required to set this feature in place also had an added effect the reconsidered use of an adjacent room.

"The oversized counter has effectively changed the purpose of the breakfast room alongside," she says. "The owners used to have coffee and toast in this large, sunny space but they now have morning meals at the glass bistro table at the end of the kitchen island. The breakfast room is instead used for watching television having a handy place to watch television was another part of the design brief."

Story by: Charles Moxham