KITCHEN RENOVATION

This kitchen was a labor of love – a very dated ranch with basement, built in 1972 in the heart of North Raleigh, centrally located centrally between 540, North Ridge / Harps Mill, and North Hills. Paneling covered the walls, and floral wallpaper covered the paneling (even the backsplash). It required a complete tear-out to rebuild from scratch and reimagine the entire box.

The layout did not function, offering next to zero counter space, very few cabinets, and minimal seating at a diminutive table. The existing pantry was too closed in to be useful. Relocating the sink from under the window to the brand new 7-foot-long island used the entirety of the space. This added desperately needed prep areas, a better flow, triple the cabinets, and room enough for four bar stools. Though not structurally necessary, I added a pony wall at the end of the island, to create a visual separation from the kitchen to the living room, without losing that open feeling. New light fixtures illuminated the space properly and defined each area clearly.

The wall on the lefthand side was unusable, due to it being a walkway and entrance to the basement. How to capitalize on this wasted real estate and make every inch of this small room count? These are the questions that make me come alive with possibilities. By moving the edge of that wall in just 15 inches (the original doorway from the living room into the kitchen, left of the refrigerator), I added a place for light switches, a custom built-in, and pantry cabinets. All while keeping the walkway accessible – even widening it by 20 inches.

In the end, two tiny, stuck-in-the-70s, closed-off spaces were brought into the 21st century with more seating, functionality, storage – and style. The dark living room became a light, bright, cheerful place to sit by the window, favorite book in hand. And removing the load-bearing wall completely transformed the entire space and made it the homeowner’s favorite spot in the house.