Objective

An open concept floor plan to definitively declare the kitchen as the focal point of the upper level. It was paramount for the kitchen to integrate seamlessly and provide a sense of communal invitation.

Requests

• Remove the load-bearing wall between the kitchen and living room in favor of a new glulam beam.

• Diminish the presence of the unnecessarily dominant entry hallway cabinets.

• Integrate a serving window for ease of inside/outside entertaining.

• Allocate a small cavity for a coffee station.

• Remove and cover existing sink window and adjacent doorway to increase privacy from neighbor’s direct sight line.

Challenges

• Evoking a sense of cohesion and functionality while implementing prevalent asymmetry throughout.

• With a whole wall of cabinetry going away and physical footprint being scaled down, arranging cabinets effectively to optimize storage and integrating all possible appliances.

• Maintaining the baseboard heating under the kitchen pantry cabinets and entry hallway cabinets, as it was the main source of heat, while being cognizant of their effect on the casework’s laminate finish.