Behind the Design - Upper Marlboro Kitchen

Sunday, September 18, 2011

One of our recent renovation projects was a full kitchen remodel in Upper Marlboro, Maryland. The existing kitchen had been in service for almost thirty years, and there were a number of things the clients wanted to change. When we embark on a design/build project like this, we like to start with an initial design meeting, where we try to get a very broad idea of what the client's goals are in the renovation. Things to consider are: problems with the existing design (functionally and aesthetically), possible solutions to these problems, scale of the renovation desired, design goals, preferred design style, accessibility requirements, project timeline, project budget, etc. Prior to this first meeting, we encourage the client to explore all available resources for design ideas, including magazines, the internet, friends and neighbors homes, and anything else that may serve as an inspiration. Once we have the general design goals in mind, it is easier to start working out the specific details of the renovation project.

Our clients in Upper Marlboro came to the initial design meeting with plenty of excellent ideas for their kitchen remodel. A major goal of the renovation was to add a raised bar with some seating space to the kitchen island. They also wanted to improve the layout of the kitchen in general, to provide for more efficient cooking. Another item on the list was to replace the dated oak cabinets with something lighter and more contemporary. The tile and wood floor was beautiful, but had been installed incorrectly, causing the tiles to loosen and the grout to crack. The appliances were old and worn out, and they wanted to replace them with something more energy efficient. It was a productive and exciting meeting, enabling our designers to get started on conceptual layouts and design.

Take a look at the pictures of the existing kitchen below, and be sure to come back next week to see how the kitchen was transformed.