Not unlike most parents, Blake and Jessica kept very busy between their two small children, school, activities, and their own work schedules. Adding a kitchen and family room renovation to already packed calendars was just one of many hurdles. They needed a solution that they could accommodate their design wants, as well as frenzied personal and business agendas.
They chose to partner with CliqStudios on their remodeling project for several reasons. They appreciated the high level of personal service and thoughtful layout plans from their kitchen designer, Molly. Moreover, they had the flexibility to communicate with Molly when their schedules allowed! Sometimes early in the morning, late in the evening, or on the weekends, they would send questions, ideas, and feedback via email, and Molly would usually respond within a day. They continued this process at their speed, with the occasional phone call with Molly or screen share when they could.
Jennifer and Blake were also very interested in watching their new kitchen with white and blue Shaker cabinets come to life with the digitally created renderings that Molly would send with each layout revision. With two walls being removed, it can be difficult to visualize, or get a good feeling of the final design.
“Having this visual aid was huge, and it helped us see what the finished space would actually look like,” says Blake, “It was fun to show off these ‘previews’ of our new kitchen to family and friends.”
One of the walls being removed opened up a pass-through between the new family/entertaining room, and the formal dining area. Blake and Jessica enjoy entertaining, and wanted to create a built-in bar in this space to serve and store wine and cold beverages. They had a rough idea of what they wanted, but relied on Molly’s knowledge of kitchen design and how layout affects the way people interact with a space. Molly, Jessica, and Blake worked collaboratively to create a design that met the unique requirements of the pass-through area, and produced a bar which the homeowners describe as, “fabulous!”
Another technical challenge was how to incorporate a kitchen island to create a larger workspace, add more storage, and have informal meals. The result was actually a peninsula that turned out better than anyone expected!
“The island has become the hang out spot in our house!” says Jessica, “We have entertained quite a few times since our remodel and it’s where we put all the appetizers and people stand around talking.”
Another unexpected bonus of these new hang-out spaces is that instead of retreating into the basement playroom, the kids spend a lot more time in the kitchen now. They eat breakfast at the peninsula in the morning, do their homework at it in the afternoon, and beg for hot chocolate in the evening. In between, the kids have also claimed the bar area as their personal craft center. It is constantly covered in markers, paper, and glue.
To top off their new CliqStudios kitchen, Jessica and Blake chose Cambria natural quartz surfaces because of the maintenance-free durability and attractive designs.
