
2021 NARI METRO DC COTY GRAND AWARD RESIDENTIAL KITCHEN $30,000 TO $60,000
This townhouse was located at Lake Anna of Reston, VA and had a confined galley kitchen with a very limited cabinet space, short wall cabinets, a big closet taking over big portion of kitchen, duct chase creating a big barrier, plumbing chases causing bulkhead, and a bearing wall header to name a few of obstacles
The homeowner’s dream was to walk in from the front door and have a clear wall-to-wall scenic view of the lake.
Our task was to modernize the kitchen by eliminating bearing walls, adding lots of storage, and upgrading appliances, among others.
She has dreamt of this for years and have been turned down by multiple firms due to how challenging the project was, the budget constraint, and as she put it “not being able to click with a design firm that could accommodate her renovation needs”.
Our staff spent countless hours hearing her wishes for the design and thinking about how we can make her dream a reality.
The main constraint was the bearing wall on the corner of the foyer and living room, which had a closet, main duct chase and return ducts, obscene amount of plumbing, and not to mention a structural load.
By rerouting the mechanical chases and reformulating all second-floor plumbing stack to back walls, and then inserting few structural beams that transfer the second-floor joists to front and back wall, we have accomplished our biggest goal and created the view of the open floor plan.
Now home to a big island with a cooktop and beverage center, the kitchen has a front to back clear view of the scenic lake. By expanding the kitchen into the front breakfast area, we have doubled up on storage and cabinet space. A long line of gorgeous countertops and a full backsplash under the new LED lighting has elevated this kitchen project. The linear porcelain floor tile complemented the countertop and her trophy accessories. Almost in tears, she said she never thought of the day that she could cook and entertain her guests in her dream kitchen.