A Kitchen gets Functional for a Family of Four
The Heart of the Home is Reworked for Cooking, Entertaining And Kid’s Activities
The biggest headache for an outdated, dark kitchen in a San Elijo Hills home was its centerpiece: an odd-shaped, two-level island with one counter so high it was too tall for barstools and one counter so close to the east-end wall it was, for all practical purposes, not accessible.
“When I walked in, I just couldn’t believe anyone even built this island,” says designer Susanna Samaniego of Design 4 Corners. “The kitchen is the heart of the home, and this island didn’t work in terms of entertaining, serving food or for kids’ activities.”
With two children, ages 2 and 4, Theresa Bowen’s main concern was in making the space functional for a family of four.
“Things that this kitchen had, like double ovens, we didn’t need,” she says. “What was important was double dishwashers—we have a tremendous volume of dishes. The other big problems we were looking to correct were a lack of counter space and light.”
By blowing out one wall and adding a double set of French doors, that indoor-outdoor feel everyone in San Diego County wants became a reality—and light for the room became a non-issue. A new, rectangular-shaped island seats six and has plenty of useable countertop space for food preparation and gluey art projects (and, although its top looks like marble, thankfully it’s easy-maintenance quartz).
Snow-white walls and cabinetry are the perfect backdrop for sable walnut flooring, ebony matte cupboard pulls and doors painted stark black.
“The hardware gives the kitchen a little contemporary, modern feel but we have traditional crown moldings, hood, island legs and faucets,” Susanna says.
A textured backsplash wall brings more dimension and detail to the space. Its silvery medallion pattern echoes stainless-steel appliances and the minimal gray veining on the island’s countertop.
“It’s so special to be able to choose all the design details of your home,” Theresa says. “I ended up with a clean-lined, beautiful and functional kitchen with a few feminine touches—a perfect fit for my personal style.”
