Kitchens and Baths Archives - Page 11 of 11

Banishing the Blahs

May 4, 2010 by ark_admin

Basic and boring. Those are two of the terms that John and Susan Gauch relayed to interior designer Andrea Cornwell, ASID, when describing the master bathroom suite in their recently purchased Fayetteville home. Though the house was less than a decade old, the room’s beige walls and brown woodwork felt lackluster to the Gauches, and they sought Cornwell’s help in personalizing the space. “Making it lighter and airier, feminine but not fussy, were top priorities,” notes Susan, who sought a more soothing and inspiring retreat.

Cornwell assessed the suite’s strengths—a large window, a durable porcelain tile floor, plus a spacious floor plan with his-and-her vanity areas separated by a walk-in shower—and devised a plan for keeping those elements intact while updating the space with color, texture and spa-like fixtures. “We chose a subtle color palette of blue, beige and amber,” says Cornwell, “using relaxing shades that lighten the room.”

Soft, textural Venetian plaster with a pale blue tint was applied to the walls, complementing both the dark wood trim and the cream-colored tile floors. The vanities were replaced, achieving a more-modern style with increased storage areas and a warmer finish. Light-reflecting glass mosaic tiles in iridescent amber were used as a counter-to-ceiling backsplash behind the vanities, a move that Susan particularly applauds as a means of brightening the space. Handmade amber glass vessel sinks mounted on top of new marble slab countertops provided additional shimmering accents, as did pivoting mirrors and sconces with glass shades inset above the vanities.

On Susan’s side of the suite, a large built-in bathtub overpowered the space and proved to be uncomfortably roomy. Cornwell replaced it with a freestanding soaking tub, and further enhanced the area by dressing the window with a valance that incorporates the room’s color scheme. Above the tub, she added an organically shaped crystal chandelier as a focal point for the retreat.

“It gave the space the added sense of light that the homeowners wanted and helped Susan’s area feel a bit more feminine,” says Cornwell. “Both sections feel lighter and brighter, more personal, and still non-fussy.”

Design Resources

Builder Hug Radler, Fayetteville
Interior design iSpace Interior Design, Fayetteville
Art Jennifer Libby Fay, Fayetteville
Bathtub, fixtures, sink Ferguson, Springdale
Countertops Midwest Tile Marble & Granite, Springdale
Vanity Kitchen Distributors, Fayetteville
Wall finish Faux Nteriors by Nicole, Fayetteville
Window treatment Interior Fabrics and Design, Fayetteville

Heirloom Cooking

April 1, 2010 by ark_admin

As a young girl helping her mother prepare meals in the kitchen of her family’s new home in Little Rock’s Heights neighborhood, Jane Fraiser could hardly have imagined that she would one day stand in the same space and cook with her own grandchildren. Yet six decades later, that’s exactly what happens on a regular basis, as Jane and her husband, Dr. Lacy Fraiser, welcome their children and their two grandsons into the 1947 cottage that has always remained in Jane’s family.

Lifelong Little Rock residents, the Fraisers opted to return to Jane’s childhood home as empty-nesters, enticed by the cottage’s manageable size and friendly neighborhood. Less enticing, however, was its near-original-condition kitchen, which contained a tiny cooking area and a utility room. “We knew we’d have to renovate the kitchen into a more usable area if this house was going to work for us,” says Jane. “It was so small and closed off from the other rooms, and we envisioned an open space where we could all be together.”

Working with Yeary Lindsey Architects, they devised a plan to turn the existing cooking space, utility area and back doorway into one enlarged kitchen. As an avid cook, Jane knew that creating work zones was essential as well. “I love to cook and I cook frequently, so I needed a functional, organized kitchen and a place where my grandsons could join me too,” she adds.

The resulting design features a center island with a sink and an integral microwave oven, an ideal prep space where Jane has an open view into the adjacent family room and where her two grandsons can pull up bar stools and have a snack or join in the fun. A long wall of cabinets behind the island holds a pair of ovens, a range and a refrigerator, serving as the main working area of the room, while an alcove overlooking the backyard boasts an additional sink and pantry areas.

When it came to materials and finishes, years of gathering ideas from design magazines had given Jane a firm idea of the style she desired. “We wanted to stick with the cottage character of the house,” says Jane, “and select materials that were appropriate for the time period in which it was built.” Wood cabinets with a painted white finish were a top priority for keeping the room bright and fresh, and new hardwood floors helped tie the renovated space together with the original parts of the house. For further authenticity, the Fraisers used antique bricks as a backsplash, with a light coating of mortar to soften the color and blend with the cabinetry.

Furniture-style detailing on the cabinets and island evoke architectural elements throughout the house, and the island was finished in natural wood tones as a transition to the colors used in the family room. “Plus, it’s my grandsons’ favorite place to sit and we didn’t want anyone to worry about shoe scuff marks or other things like that,” says Jane, ever mindful of the needs of multiple generations gathering in her family home.

Design Resources

Architect Yeary Lindsey Architects, Little Rock
Contractor Tony Martin Associates, North Little Rock
Appliances Metro Builders Supply, North Little Rock
Backsplash Antique Brick & Block, Little Rock
Cabinetry J&S Cabinet Concepts Inc., Benton
Counters Arkansas Granite & More, Benton
Faucets Southern Pipe & Supply, Benton
Flooring Chenal Professional Hardwood, Little Rock

The (eco) Friendly Kitchen

February 27, 2010 by ark_admin

“Make yourself at home. Here’s a glass, grab a plate, and help yourself,” says Lyn Edge. “That’s the feeling I wanted this kitchen to convey to everyone who enters.” A busy grandmother who tends her 4- and 7-year-old granddaughters each day, Lyn needed an open space where family and friends could easily pitch in and where she wouldn’t be closed off from the living areas. What she and her husband, Dr. Otis Edge, began with in their 1930s-era home in Little Rock’s Hillcrest neighborhood, however, was the exact opposite.

Interested in relocating from West Little Rock to the Hillcrest area to be closer to their family, the Edges found a 2,000-square-foot bungalow that seemed a good fit for their needs. While the size and locale were appealing, the kitchen was a disaster. “There were two small cooking and pantry sections, a bathroom, and a screened porch alongside them with a floor that was caving in,” says Lyn. “My jaw dropped when I saw it.”

Determined to make the kitchen as accommodating as the rest of the house, the Edges called in Frank Curtis of Curtis Contracting. They gave him the task of turning the mix of spaces into what Lyn calls “a proper room,” with areas for prep work, cooking and baking, open shelving for accessibility and displaying her pottery collection, plus seating for her granddaughters and other family members to be a part of the action. On top of that, they were interested in using environmentally friendly materials whenever possible. “Common sense choices primarily, avoiding fumes and choosing sustainable options,” adds Lyn.

Curtis, who’s certified by the National Association of Home Builders as a green professional, devised a plan that involved removing the screened porch, gutting the kitchen and bathroom sections and redoing the entire area as one open space, all while following green building practices. “We kept the original footprint and in rebuilding we added insulation, new plumbing and wiring, plus higher-quality doors and windows,” he says, “all of which add energy efficiency where none existed before.”

Materials choices throughout the kitchen followed suit, including stock cabinetry with a finish applied in a ventilated factory setting, a mix of Corian and tile countertops, MDF-composite wood for the trim and ceiling, plus no-VOC paint. Appliances and lighting were chosen based on their energy efficiency ratings, and to enhance the room’s natural light, Curtis vaulted the ceiling in the area where the screened porch had been and added skylights. “It made the space feel larger and the daylight helps warm the room,” he says.

The completed kitchen now features a sink and counter section where open shelving expedites prep and clean-up, and skylights plus a large window make the space warm and inviting. Across from that area, an island with a built-in stovetop gives Lyn uninterrupted views while cooking, and a pair of barstools let family and friends relax nearby. Along the back wall, a refrigerator and pair of ovens are within easy reach, completing the efficient workspace.

“My granddaughters and I bake cookies, cakes or breads nearly every week,” says Lyn, noting that the functional kitchen enhances their time spent together. “When it works well and it’s full of the people and things you love,” she adds, “it’s a place where you make memories, and then it becomes home.”

Design Resources

Builder, remodeler Curtis Contracting Inc., Little Rock
Appliances Metro Appliances & More, Little Rock, Springdale
Cabinetry Alliant Cabinets, Little Rock
Countertop-Corian House of Marble, Little Rock
Countertop-Tile American Tile Supply, North Little Rock
Door, windows, skylight Pella Windows & Doors, North Little Rock
Faucets Falk Plumbing Supply, North Little Rock
Flooring C & P Carpets, Little Rock
Lighting TEC Electric, North Little Rock
Molding, trim Greenfield Millworks, North Little Rock
Paint Sherwin-Williams, locations statewide

Green Tips

Sherwin-Williams’ Harmony no-VOC paint aids indoor air quality

Stock maple cabinetry with a factory-applied finish means less chemicals and fumes onsite

Oak flooring from renewable forests, with original floor salvaged where possible

MDF composite wood trim and ceiling strips are made from wood scraps

Energy Star appliances

Skylight and enlarged window add natural light and feature insulated Low E glass

Corian countertop contains pre-consumer recycled content

Color to the Rescue

January 25, 2010 by ark_admin

We posted the SOS on our Facebook page: Seeking a boring bathroom, a space we could spice up with paint and fabric. Will offer designer suggestions for a colorful makeover.

Candidates quickly sent in photos of their rescue-ready baths, and our color expert, El Dorado-based interior designer Andrea Brooks, selected the master bathroom in Betsy Orr’s Rogers residence as an ideal candidate.

Since Betsy’s bath features both a soaking tub and a freestanding shower, Brooks choose a spa-inspired look. She opted for a color palette of blues, greens and purples, “all known for their passive natures, calming our nerves as well as lifting our spirits,” says Brooks.

Classical Cooking

August 19, 2009 by ark_admin

Old world is a term that comes up often in Bruce and Joan Johnson’s line of work. As owners of Fayetteville-based White River Hardwoods, a company known for its embellished moldings and hand-carved architectural elements, understanding classical design is an essential part of their business. To acquire this old world authenticity, the couple frequently travels to Europe—touring, studying and seeking inspiration. Eventually, after years of visiting castles and centuries-old manors, they were inspired to bring the look back home.

“We’d see these castles in mountain towns in Europe, built of natural stone and tucked into the hillside, and that seemed possible to accomplish here in the Ozarks,” says Joan. She and Bruce purchased acreage on a mountainside near Fayetteville and constructed the European-style manor house of their dreams.

Their travels had also introduced them to a like-minded scholar of classical architecture, Atlanta-based designer David Pearson, whom Joan had met on a drawing tour in Italy. She and Bruce solicited his help in designing the interiors to be authentic but also livable by today’s standards, a concept especially important in the kitchen and bath where modern-day conveniences are essential.

“As in an old English manor house, the kitchen is at one end of the great hall,” says Pearson. “It needed to be functional but it also had to work with the rest of the room.” Since the Johnson’s enjoy entertaining and often share meal times with their grown sons and their families, Pearson devised a large u-shaped island as a gathering place and a central feature in the kitchen area, defining the space yet still allowing open views.

To fit the scale and style of the great hall, Pearson designed the island to look like a grand piece of furniture. “The legs on the island are scaled for the entire room, not just the kitchen,” he says. “And we topped them with thick granite countertops to make the cabinetry feel substantial within the openness of the room.”

Along the kitchen’s back wall, which is made of stone, he added custom cabinetry with inset panes of leaded art glass and topped the range area with a hammered copper hood. Between the two, he worked in a backsplash of handmade ceramic tile in warm shades of blue, green and brown, which both complements the copper and creates an attractive focal point. For consistency, Pearson opted for copper sinks and fixtures as well. And as a final means of fitting modern life within an Old World house, he disguised refrigerator and freezer drawers and other appliances with cabinet panels.

The concept of cabinetry designed to mimic antique furniture carried over to the master bathroom, where Pearson created a vanity that “looks like it could have come out of a farmhouse in Tuscany,” says Joan. Layered with paint and then distressed, buffed and sealed, the vanity combines with the room’s stained ceiling beams, painted and glazed walls, and travertine floors to give the appearance of a softly-worn, aged space.

In an adjacent shower area, Pearson and Bruce worked together to choose a variety of tile colors and patterns to complement the bathroom’s classically inspired look, opting for a mix of warm travertine and onyx inset with a Renaissance Florentine border.

The final effect, says Pearson, is a slight conglomerate of styles similar to how manor houses evolve over centuries. “The impression is that the rooms could have been decorated or redone during different eras,” he says. “It’s reflective of history rather than locked in time.”

Design Resources

Architect Robert Sharp, Fayetteville
Designer David Pearson, Atlanta
Contractor Al Rahm, Sunrise Custom Homes, Fayetteville
Appliances Metro Builders Supply, Bethel Heights
Art glass O’Kane Studios, West Fork
Cabinetry Bob Parkhill Cabinets, Harrison
Chairs in breakfast area French Metro Antiques, Fayetteville
Fixtures Ferguson, Springdale
Flooring White River Hardwoods, Fayetteville
Range hood Marquardt Ironworks, Fayetteville
Trim, molding White River Hardwoods, Fayetteville

Built from Scratch

August 19, 2009 by ark_admin

Of the many things Connie and Larry Gulick loved about their early 1900s home in Russellville, the kitchen was definitely not one of them. A small room that had last been updated in the 1970s, their old kitchen had appliances and an avocado green color that were sorely outdated. And it lacked room for a dishwasher altogether, leaving Connie with the arduous task of hand washing plates after get-togethers with family and friends.

While the Gulicks’ desired a more efficient kitchen, they also hoped to create a space that would blend with the Colonial-style of their home. “I wanted it to look like it was always part of the house, not like it was a new kitchen with old cabinets,” Connie explains. The couple opted to add on, designing a long, rectangular kitchen with ample spaces for both cooking and dining, and including a fireplace as a gathering spot for friends and family. To execute their plan, they hired a contractor to put up the framework and then took on the task of finishing out the space. “We are total do-it-yourselfers,” says Connie.

Drawing inspiration from magazine tears she had collected and filed away over the years, Connie hired a cabinetmaker to install step-back floor-to-ceiling cabinets that span an entire wall. She painted them herself with a coat of primer and two coats of oil-based paint, no small feat considering the kitchen’s 10-foot ceilings. “For about a month, I didn’t have to think about what I was going to wear,” she says. “All I’d do was put on my painting clothes.” As a finishing touch, she added cupboard latches and flush-mount cabinet doors to complete their vintage style.

Connie found the large oak island, once a drugstore fixture, in an antique store located in Danville. It still had the original hardware and drawers on one side, and the Gulicks removed the sliding glass doors and shelves on the other side to make room for seating. For further authenticity, they cleverly camouflaged all of the appliances, including the refrigerator, dishwasher and microwave, behind cabinet doors. “Back when this house was built they didn’t have microwaves sitting on the counter,” Connie explains.

Salvaged architectural elements helped complete the look, including tin tile behind the stovetop and lead glass that Connie had specially cut to use as a transom window. The fireplace mantle and wood flooring were salvaged from old homes as well, requiring some extra effort to ready them for new uses. In the heat of the summer, the do-it-yourself couple set up shop in their backyard and pulled old nails out of what amounted to about three truckloads of pine panels, which they installed and stained. “It was a lot of hard work, but it was worth it,” Connie remembers. “I wanted the new floor to match the original floor in the house.”

While the now-complete Colonial-style kitchen may appear to have stood still in time, it offers every modern convenience needed for family and friends to gather comfortably.

A painting above the fireplace captures the essence of what Connie and Larry were trying to achieve in their own lives when planning their new kitchen. Painted by their son-in-law and depicting the Gulicks’ seven grandchildren playing in the front yard, it was done in the style of Grandma Moses, a folk artist known for capturing rural celebrations and daily life. Those simple moments, whether it’s baking cookies with her grandchildren or preparing a traditional holiday meal, are now more frequent. “I love having my family come home to visit and I like them to be comfortable when they come home,” says Connie. “And I love cooking for them.”

DESIGN SOURCES

Contractor Roger Hawkins, Russellville
Appliances Lowe’s, National Home Centers, Russellville
Art Michael Ball, Russellville
Building materials National Home Centers, Russellville
Cabinetry McClure’s Cabinet Shop, Russellville
Countertops Tile Stiles, Russellville
Island Log Cabin Antiques, Danville
Light fixtures National Home Centers, Russellville
Windows Heritage Window & Door, Russellville
Wood floors, mantle Scott Self, Chickalah

Colorfully Craftsman

August 19, 2009 by ark_admin

On most evenings a crowd can be found in Dave and Stacy Grundfest’s Little Rock kitchen. While their 18-year-old son and his buddies rummage through the pantry looking for snacks, their 14-year-old daughter and her friends sit on barstools at the counter and do their homework. Meanwhile, Stacy and Dave wander through the room, prepping dinner at the island, sautéing at the stove and eventually serving dinner to the remaining gang.

But these kinds of daily interactions weren’t always so easy. When Dave, a commercial general contractor, and Stacy built their home 15 years ago, they opted for a bungalow-style interior with smaller, more separated rooms. Though they loved their home’s Craftsman styling, as their family grew the kitchen area in particular began to feel cramped.

“Stacy and I talked about it for years, how we might take the same space and make it fit our lifestyle better,” says Dave. “Eventually, we got tired of feeling like the cobbler’s kids who had no shoes and decided it was time for our own remodel.”

Working with the home’s original architect, Tom Fennell, they restructured the kitchen and part of the living space into one enlarged open area. Dave then pulled together a team of professionals—certified kitchen designer Charlotte Lefler with Lumber One Home Center and interior designer Hershel Cannon—to devise a plan for cabinets, materials and decorative details.

“We made this one hardworking kitchen,” says Lefler, “and since it opens to the living room, we had to ensure that it would be attractive too.” Cabinets were laid out to include a peninsula with counter seating as a divider between living and kitchen areas, followed by a freestanding island with a sink for prepping foods. On the kitchen’s back wall, they created the main work zone, with a freezer at one end, a refrigerator at the other, and a professional-style range and hood between them. Making full use of the space, Lefler extended the cabinetry into an adjoining hallway, creating a floor-to-ceiling storage area and pantry away from the busier parts of the room.

Cherry wood cabinetry was the Grundfests’ choice as a complement to their Craftsman house, and Cannon suggested a colorful glass mosaic tile backsplash, made up of iridescent blue, green, copper and cream, to enliven the expanses of wood. Slate tile floors and granite counters fit the home’s style, plus were durable options for the heavily used room.

“It’s fairly indestructible, which is ideal for a family with teenagers,” says Stacy. Noting that they recently hosted a get-together for more than 50 kids, she adds that the kitchen easily accommodated the gathering. “It functioned well and it looked good,” she says, “which is just what we envisioned.”

Design Resources

Architect Tom Fennell, AIA, Fennell Purifoy Architects, Little Rock
Contractor Dave Grundfest Company, Little Rock
Interior Designer Hershel Cannon & Associates, Little Rock
Kitchen Designer Charlotte Lefler, CKD, Lumber One Home Center, Stuttgart
Appliances Metro Builders Supply, Maumelle
Counters Arkansas Granite & More, Benton
Fixtures, sinks Plumbing Warehouse, Little Rock
Tile for floors, backsplash C&F Carpet and Flooring, Little Rock

Family-Style Cooking

July 28, 2009 by ark_admin

Jennifer Lewis can honestly say that she spends most of her time in the kitchen. As a mother of two, avid entertainer of family and friends and a cooking instructor who runs her business, Fresh and Fabulous Entertaining, from her own home, prepping food and preparing meals are continuous daily activities.

She used to attempt all this from a small kitchen in a 1920s bungalow she, her husband John and their children, Emma Kate and Ian, shared near downtown Fayetteville. But as the kids grew and the house began to seem cramped, she and John started thinking about building a bigger place. A larger kitchen, of course, quickly became part of the plan.
…

Cottage Kitchen

May 25, 2009 by ark_admin

“My magic number is 25,” says the owner of this new kitchen. “It’s the amount of people I like to cook for and to entertain, and you need an organized space if you want it to seem effortless.”

That was the directive she and her husband, long-time Conway residents, gave interior designer RaeLynn Callaway when they began planning the kitchen for their new cottage-style home. Add to that the homeowners’ request for a room that still felt comfortable and cozy for everyday use, and Callaway faced a challenge in how to accommodate both a couple and a crowd.

Creating a series of adjoining spaces and work zones proved the answer, resulting in an open kitchen with a dining room on one side and a wet bar and pantry on the other. Within the central area, a multi-purpose island helped separate prep, cleaning and cooking zones. Boasting a sink and refrigerator drawers, one section of the island is geared toward cooking and baking, with a range, wall oven, convection microwave oven and warming drawer nearby. The other section holds china and serving pieces, all within easy reach of a wide counter with bar stool seating, an apron-front sink and dishwasher.

With efficiency established, Callaway turned her attention to giving the rooms cottage-style charm. “The kitchen is the heart and soul of their home,” says Callaway. “All of the details needed to be pulled together to match the old cottage feel they wanted throughout the house.” A variety of door and drawer cabinetry fronts —some with raised panels and others with recessed beadboard—added a vintage look, as did classic white tile on the backsplash and hand-scraped oak wood floors. Quartz countertops in white maintained the clean and simple look of the room, while also offering a durable work surface.

For paint colors, the homeowner referenced a beloved set of mixing bowls that had once belonged to the grandmother of a close friend. “The color is now called Mammy blue,” she says, “and we used it as an accent with bright white.” The palette continues into the dining room, where Callaway had the cabinetry painted green “to add a visual separation between the two areas,” she says.

The completed kitchen has now been put to the test as the site of family gatherings, large dinner parties (with 25 guests of course) as well as everyday meals. “It’s a pleasure to work in,” the homeowner says. “Everything I need is handy, so I can easily cook for a big group, but it still feels cozy on a daily basis.”

Design Resources
Interior design: RaeLynn Callaway, Allied ASID, CY Interiors, Conway
Builder: Boone Custom Homes, Inc., Conway
Draftsmen: Quality Designs, Conway
Kitchen planning consultant: Trudy McCollum, CKD, ASID, Little Rock
Painter: J. Reynolds Painting Co., Conway
Appliances, flooring: National Home Center, Conway
Cabinetry: Elms-Clowers, Conway
Countertops: Moix Marbleworks, Conway
Tile: ElderTile, Maumelle
Decorative tile behind range: Kitchen Store, Conway

Banishing the Blahs

Heirloom Cooking

The (eco) Friendly Kitchen

Design Resources

Green Tips

Color to the Rescue

Classical Cooking

Design Resources

Built from Scratch

DESIGN SOURCES

Colorfully Craftsman

Design Resources

Family-Style Cooking

Cottage Kitchen

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