Three into two

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Three living areas became one in this remodel

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View of kitchen with wooden flooring, hanging pots ceiling, countertop, interior design, kitchen, living room, room, brown, gray

View of kitchen with wooden flooring, hanging pots cabinetry, ceiling, countertop, cuisine classique, home, interior design, kitchen, real estate, room, brown

View of kitchen with wooden flooring, hanging pots ceiling, countertop, dining room, home, interior design, kitchen, living room, real estate, room, brown, gray

View of kitchen with wooden flooring, hanging pots cabinetry, countertop, cuisine classique, interior design, kitchen, room, window, gray

View of kitchen with wooden flooring, hanging pots cabinetry, countertop, cuisine classique, flooring, interior design, kitchen, brown, gray

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With its sunken lounge and cramped kitchen, this house was very much a product of the 1980s. Not surprisingly, it was not particularly well suited to the needs of a growing family.

Kitchen designer Cheryl Hamilton-Gray says a rethink of the functionality of the three separate living zones provided the perfect, space-saving solution.

"The owners felt they didn't need to have a formal living room as well as a family room, so we raised the sunken floor and rearranged the space to accommodate a new dining room and much larger, open-plan kitchen and great room. This also provided space for an entry hall, which was formerly non-existent."

View of wooden cabinetry. bathroom accessory, bathroom cabinet, cabinetry, countertop, cuisine classique, furniture, hardwood, home, interior design, kitchen, room, window, wood stain, brown, gray — View of wooden cabinetry.

The designer added a new wall of cabinets to accommodate the larger appliances, and raised the ceiling in the kitchen to 13ft.

"Because the house has picturesque views, we wanted windows right along one wall. This limited the amount of tall space available. The new freestanding wall not only provides tall storage, but also acts as a divider to screen the dining room. And the raised ceiling makes the whole area seem much more spacious."

The centerpiece in the kitchen is a La Cornue oven and custom Venetian plaster hood. The hood is supported by a mantle made from a heavy reclaimed beam.

"The room is quite voluminous, but the heavy beam helps to anchor the space visually," says Hamilton-Gray.

The cabinets include simple, white-painted Shaker-style doors; a large island with a thick walnut countertop and raven stain; and a wood hutch with a butternut stain.

"I wanted to mix it up a bit, so the cabinets are more like different pieces of furniture," says the designer. "The island, for example, has chunky legs and beadboard panels. The grooves in the beadboard show the rub-through stain, which adds to the character."