Our client wanted a simple, clean design for their bathroom. Each vanity is balanced with drawers on either side of the sink. The middle drawer features a design that we used throughout the house with a slab front made to look like two smaller drawers. I added 1 1/2” spacers to the sides of the sink that when paired with the 1 1/2” panels give it a semi flush inset feel. An open space bench in the middle offers a place to sit while also serving as a break in a long wall of cabinetry. They are painted with Benjamin Moore Arctic Shadow with Milesi catalyst finish for durability.
The Eden job was a referral from House of Jade interiors. The client had previously hired a different cabinet maker who had provided them with a design. However, the bid far exceeded their budget for the project.
They asked me for a second opinion. When I met with the client, builder and House of Jade, I shared some of my concerns with the way the cabinets were designed. One of my primary focuses in my designs is balance. I believe there is always a way, if you take the time to do it right, to make things proportionally balanced while also providing great function.
This job offered many opportunities for me to showcase this belief. Here are few specific issues and our solutions…
Issue #1 – The kitchen had a couple of areas that the previous designer had designed with the common approach of “just make it fit.” The main sink wall had a large pantry cabinet to the right of a large window that the sink needed to be centered under. The client had chosen a farm sink and based on that designer’s plan, when installed, would leave a small, odd space between the pantry and the dishwasher.
Solution – To solve this problem, I suggested that the client purchase an integrated dishwasher that we then installed a 28” panel to the front of instead of the normal 24”. By adding a 4” spacer behind the door and between the dishwasher and the pantry it allowed it to be completely balanced and simulate the 28” bank of drawers to the left of the sink. This is a method that I came up with and only we have used. We used the same method with the basement wet bar, dishwasher and a similar idea with the ice makers.
Issue #2 – The original design was cluttered with different sized drawers and doors that made little sense. They had banks of 4 drawers next to banks of 3 with no fluid horizontal lines.
Solution – My solution to this was to make all the drawer banks look like 4 drawers with a large drawer at the bottom and 3 smaller equal sized drawers above. Key word here being “look” like. There are several banks where the two middle small drawers are actually one giving them the typical 3 drawer spacing and some where the bottom drawer and first small drawer right above it are 1 drawer with the two smaller drawers on top, giving them extra tall storage in the very bottom drawer.
While the original design already had geometric designs on several of the doors, we made them come to life and figured out how to make them proportional with the doors beside them. Additionally, although every room in the house has its own unique feel, we were able to design them in a way that didn’t break the flow of the design in the home. Our clients love our unique way of giving that flush inset look without actually being true flush inset cabinetry. This is because our panels and spacers are 1 1/2” thick and mounted flush with the fronts of the doors.
Issue #3 – The basement cabinetry was a very simple, “budget-conscious” design done by the previous cabinet maker to save money.
Solution – We were able to upgrade and give the client what they wanted while staying in their budget and matching the same look and feel of the upstairs cabinetry.
Please see the all of the job photos to really get an idea of how well this beautiful job came together.
Kitchen | Family Room | Library | Laundry | Bathrooms