On average, many of us spend two to three hours a day in our kitchens. Two to three hours a day! It’s often the hub of the house and the busy, welcoming place we go to sit and chat, help with homework, drink coffee or wine, and visit with whoever is cooking. We begin and end our day here and this room should make us happy. Often times, unfortunately, this hub isn’t as ideally set up as you’d like. Maybe there’s not enough room for people to visit as meals are prepared, maybe it doesn’t have the ideal lay-out for your needs, or maybe it isn’t decorated in a way that reflects your taste or personality.
This kitchen featured was recently completed by Duddy Construction. Not only did this family want a new kitchen, they wanted to create more of an open floor plan between the kitchen and family room, which was closed off as you can see in the below “before” photo. Taking down the concrete block wall required the installation of a steel I beam. This kitchen project started just days after the family purchased the home.
Like most older homes along the Main Line, in order to connect the existing kitchen to other living areas, a wall needed to be taken down.To come up with the best design, they enlisted the help of interior designer Ann Forster of Ann Decker Designs and Patrick Duddy of Duddy Construction. If you are opening up walls, combining rooms or changing layouts, it’s important to create a design that benefits each space. They didn’t want to create a fabulous kitchen at the expense of the family room.
“The main goal of this project was to open up the kitchen to their soon to be family room. I felt the best way to remove the wall separating the two rooms was to create a large cased opening that would frame the new bar seating and create a smooth transition between the kitchen and family room. It also worked structurally since the wall that was being removed was load bearing and aesthetically, it was an architectural detail that matched the rest of the house.” says Ann Forster.
This kitchen is a great example of what people are looking for in regards to layout and style. White cabinetry still tops the list for desired colors, and many are choosing to mix things up with a different color cabinet on the island as seen here. (The island is a light gray). Inset cabinets, like those featured here are gaining popularity in the higher end kitchens. Marble (featured in this kitchen) and quartz are usually the most desired counter tops. Even though there is common concern from some regarding the durability of marble counter tops, we’ve been seeing more people opt for them with the belief that the imperfections and wear overtime add to the beauty. And, of course, stainless steel appliances are the most popular selection, although we are seeing many people opting to dress up their appliances with cabinetry.
Light gray inset cabinets, combined with a farmhouse sink and topped with Carrera marble make this one pretty fabulous island. The cabinets are from Sterling Kitchen and Bath in Havertown, which is our local pick for where to go for cabinets. The window treatment was designed by Ann Forster and created by Claudia Clobes at Urban Loft Window Treatments.
The owner thought that she wanted a simple white subway tile until she walked into Devon Tile with Ann Forster and spotted this Carrera and Thassos marble backsplash in a chevron pattern. Elegant and classic, this beautiful tile elevates the design and look of the kitchen. For anyone who is thinking of a kitchen renovation, make time to visit Devon Tile located on Lancaster Avenue in Devon. This store is a high end candy store for all things tile. Don’t be overwhelmed by the many beautiful selections and options as it’s certainly worth the visit. The Main Line is incredibly lucky to have such wonderful stores locally and Devon Tile does not disappoint.
Patrick Duddy of Duddy Construction says that the average kitchen like this one featured take about 6 to 8 weeks to complete. He suggests a meeting with clients well in advance of when they’d like a kitchen renovation so they can discuss goals, preferences, and timelines. The winter is a great time to start putting plans in place for a kitchen or any other home improvement project that you want to complete over the spring and summer. If you’re considering a kitchen renovation or any other home improvement project, be sure to contact Duddy Construction. If you know you want a new kitchen, be sure to check out one of our older blogs “When Renovating A Kitchen, It Starts With The Cabinets” for more information, further ideas and inspiration!
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