This 1960s ranch had seen its share of projects over the years, but this time around the homeowners wanted to breathe new life into the main level to better accommodate the needs of their family. Their most significant pain point was the narrow galley kitchen right off the small entry. Not only was it disconnected from the living and dining, but the wall separating the spaces created a complicated circulation pattern that made it tricky to furnish the spaces. A full rework of the main living spaces was an absolute must. This main level renovation also included a massive overhaul on the master suite — specifically, the master bathroom and closet situation. The existing ensuite bathroom was the original modest- teeny tiny- quintessential 60s three-piece bathroom. It just did not work for our clients, two lawyers and their two young children (6 and 1). More on the master suite and bathroom(s). But first kitchen!

The critical element in remodeling the ‘front of house spaces’ was eliminating the central load-bearing wall which, in doing so, would allow us to open the main living areas and create one connected living space for the family. That led us to the unanimous decision that the kitchen needed to shift away from the entry. We were lucky to have an underutilized bonus room just a couple steps down from the existing dining room. Extra square footage was the key to addressing circulation issues. The bonus room, now the formal dining room, better utilized the square footage of the home. It also gave us more square footage for a larger kitchen with an eat-in island (must have) and pantry (bonus). It also allowed for a more spacious entryway with plenty of space to welcome friends and family into the home.

The new kitchen was designed for daily family gatherings over quick meals and weekends watching the game with friends. The central eat-in-island, featuring Waypoint Living Spaces shaker cabinetry in Harbor and Avalanche White quartz countertops by Pental Surfaces, has sightlines to both living room (TV) and dining room making this the hub of the home. The island is home to the kitchen cleaning zone which includes a 33” farmhouse sink from Elkay at the center with the dishwasher to the right and pull-out vertical tray storage beyond. We placed a double bin trash/recycling center and a bay of drawers to the left.

Opposite the clean zone is the cooking zone with 30” slide-in gas range and stainless-steel hood. We flanked the range with two sets of upper cabinets with doors that open away from the range for easy, intuitive access when cooking or cleaning up. No doors opening into the cook’s face in this kitchen! We tucked the microwave out of sight in a base cabinet on the left side and drawers on the other end. A pull-out pantry cabinet and pull-out utensil storage help keep things organized and the countertops free of clutter. We created a refrigerator enclosure on the north wall and tucked a reduced depth landing surface/ coffee station. Coffee is a high priority for this young family, and we were so happy to create a central easy-to-access spot to grab a cup of jo to stay or go! The linen white shaker perimeter cabinets from Waypoint Living Spaces and Frosty Carina quarts tops from Caesarstone help keep the space light and bright where we had the least amount of natural light. The dark silver gunmetal hardware from Amerock’s Rochdale Collection add contrast against the lighter cabinetry and compliments the industrial-rustic aesthetic. The island pendants by Capitol Lighting are from Urban Lights, and the barstools are from Wayfair.

Back in the master suite, the existing bedroom plus seating room- which was currently serving as a nursery when we first met our clients- was created in a previous project by removing the wall between two bedrooms to make one large room. While the conversation created a larger master bedroom, it didn’t add any functionality. The original, one butt bathroom, bathroom remained and the reach-in closets from the old rooms, untouched in the previous renovation, were far too small for our clients. After sitting down with our clients, we learned that they prioritized storage and a spacious bathroom well above a private master bedroom sitting area. With that in mind, we reconfigured the back of the house to accommodate a much larger ensuite bath and walk-in closet. We also shifted the wall between the master bedroom and kid’s room. The homeowners felt the size of their room was disproportion to the size of the second bedroom, so we pushed the wall and took 18 inches from the master.

We optimized the square footage of the master suite by designing a walk-through closet leading to their new bathroom. The walk-through configuration minimized the circulation and allowed us to separate the getting ready zone from the quiet zone. We find this to help reduce the interruption of sleep patterns for couples with different work schedules. The earlier riser can wake up, turn and on lights, and get ready without light or noise interrupting their sleeping partner.

Onward and into the bathroom we go! The soft, calm color palette reflects our desire to design a quiet retreat for our clients. A new custom shower with built-in bench and storage niches features a marble accent tile cascading from the back wall on to the shower floor. The stainless-steel Delta Trinsic fixtures add a classic warmth. Transforming the vanity from a small pedestal to double sink cabinet gave them each a space of their own and much more storage space. We designed and custom fabricated built-in shelving to take advantage of otherwise unusable void space and further accommodate their storage needs. You can never have too much bathroom storage!

The creamy, beige floors and ivory wall tile bounce the natural light throughout the room, and the wood accents add a natural element. The Innovations Lighting vanity lights from Urban Lights bring in our client’s affinity for the casual farmhouse vibe and tied this space into the vibe of the kitchen and main living areas

We are so grateful for our clients to trust us with their project. It was an honor and a total blast to transform their cramped ranch into the family-friendly farmhouse home of their dreams. It is always a joy to inject new life into a home!