This week at Strobel Design Build, we wanted to share a featured remodel with our followers. This remodel is also the second of four NARI Tampa Bay Contractor of the Year (CotY) awards that we are honored to have received. As we mentioned in our previous CotY blog, NARI is an organization of high quality, remodeling professionals that recognizes members who have demonstrated standout work through remodeling projects. This project exemplifies that a kitchen does not have to be expansive to be stunning. It instead shows how smaller spaces, when designed correctly, can be beautiful and extremely functional.
Residential Kitchen $30,000 – $60,000
This kitchen is located in the Whispering Waters Condominiums along North Shore Drive in St. Petersburg, Florida. The condominium, built in 1957, has a mid-century appearance. During the era these condos were built, the style was to have the kitchen in a secluded and closed off portion of the home. The homeowner wanted a more opened space, while still keeping the overall 1950’s design aesthetic. In order to give the homeowner her dream kitchen our expert design team decided it was best to to move the entire kitchen to a different part of the house. The original dining room was in a central, open location of the condo – the perfect place for the the new, inviting kitchen!
In addition to relocating the kitchen, the homeowner requested a large island for both food preparation and an eat-in area. The homeowner wanted a color palate that would maintain the mid-century look, but with an updated touch. Similarly, we chose all the fixtures to give a transitional, mid-century feel. As with renovations in older buildings, we know to expect the unexpected. Some of the concerns that the Condo Association had included the relocation of the kitchen, demising the wall, and noise problems to neighboring condos. In order to overcome the obstacles with the noise reduction, we applied WhisperMat noise reduction under the porcelain tile backsplash. Extra insulation was also added to decrease the noise transmission through the walls.
Having the kitchen moved resulted in a much larger and more open space. The original kitchen was a galley style. The new design gives the clients much more of a “working” and “entertaining” space. For the countertops we used Cambria quartz. Quartz is a synthetic material which gives the appearance of marble, but is much more durable and easier to maintain compared to natural stone.
Due to the relocation of the kitchen we had to creatively address the corresponding relocation of plumbing and electrical. As mentioned above, the homeowner wanted the appliances and craftsmanship to match the 1950’s character on the overall condo, so choosing the right touch for those was essential. The Kohler kitchen sink and the Moen faucet compliment the “Desert Gray” subway colored tiles. The white, shaker style cabinets had integrated LED lighting. We were also particular on choosing the flooring for this kitchen, as the majority of the condo was left untouched, we needed to make sure the kitchen flooring appeared seamless to the adjoining spaces. We chose solid porcelain flooring to give uniformity to the condo.
During any project, we are always prepared for obstacles, it keeps projects exciting! Plus, working through them results in a beautiful and updated space, and the greatest joy – seeing our how happy our clients are with their new space! The homeowner was in love with her new kitchen, and especially pleased how it maintained a transitional, yet mid-century modern appeal. By receiving a NARI Tampa Bay CotY of the year award for this project, it qualifies us as finalists for the National NARI awards which will take place next month in Austin, TX! Thank you NARI for pushing us in every way possible and promoting ongoing education and excellence within this industry!
