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Solutions. Nelson transformed the space into a stunner that doesn’t look so “kitchen-y,” as it’s seen from the adjacent rooms and front entry. She removed the awkward narrow cabinets and the stainless steel vent hood. She reused the remaining cabinets and most of the appliances. One exception was a new stainless steel range, which replaced the existing black one. She had the cabinetry painted, reduced the millwork around the windows to make room for feature lighting above them and changed out the legs on the island to reflect the cabinet door style.This is the view when you walk in through the front entry. The space to the right is a sitting area; to the left is the family room, which Nelson and the homeowners are currently planning to upgrade.How to Reface Your Old Kitchen Cabinets
“After” photos by Lisa Konz PhotographyKitchen at a GlanceWho uses it: A busy family that loves to entertainLocation: Cumming, GeorgiaSize: 170 square feet (16 square meters); 10 feet by 17 feetDesigner: Kat NelsonThe redesign of this home started in the kitchen. “My clients wanted a wow factor when you walk in the front door and see this kitchen,” says interior designer Kat Nelson. “Their extended families live nearby, and they wanted a fabulous entertaining space,” she says. Wide open to the family room, the new kitchen set the tone for other remodeling and decorating projects in the house.
AFTER: Removing the wall opened up the space, while Carrara marble tile on the walls and floor brought the room into the current decade. Forteza replaced the plumbing, electrical and insulation, things he always recommends for homes built in the 1940s and ’50s. “These homes have seen their time,” he says. “Ninety-five percent of the time when you gut out, you will see dry rot, termite-infested wood — you want to fix that. Putting new tile down won’t fix what’s wrong inside the walls.”But while newer homes won’t have these kinds of problems, Forteza says you should be wary of past remodel projects too. “You never know what quality a previous homeowner instituted,” he says. In other words, always build a 10 to 20 percent contingency into your budget, no matter what the size of your bathroom.Wall tile: Carrara marble, 4 by 12 inches; floor tile: Carrara marble, 12 by 12 inches; sink: Stinson undermount in white (442007-U-0), Sterling, Kohler; faucet: Grandera widespread low spout lavatory (20418000), Grohe; bathtub: Villager in white, 32 by 60 inches, Kohler; tub spout: Grandera, 9¼ inches, Grohe; thermostat trim with diverter: Metris C in chrome (15753001), Hansgrohe; showerhead: M...
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