Before & After: A Kitchen Renovation Fit for Two Avid Chefs

In the Queens neighborhood of Elmhurst, Romuald and his wife have something that most New Yorkers can only dream of: a whole house, and even a backyard. But after living there for ten years, there was one thing they knew they wanted to change: the kitchen.

The home’s previous kitchen, while not small by any means, felt a bit tight when you factored in two avid chefs. Additionally, Romuald and his wife wanted to open up the kitchen to the rest of the living area, to facilitate entertaining and create a loft-like feel.

The remodeled kitchen feels much more open and spacious, with the wall between the kitchen and dining room replaced by an oversized island, with bar seating on one side. The white upper cabinets help to brighten up the space, while the grey lower cabinets add a bit of contrast. The countertops are a white quartz, a lovely, low-maintenance alternative to natural stone in a kitchen that sees a lot of action.

Moving the sink to the opposite side of the room from the stove makes this kitchen a much friendlier space for two (or more!) cooks working at the same time. A microwave drawer, which sits under the island, frees up valuable counter space.

The new kitchen has lots of little details to love. The Thermador range, a holdover from the old kitchen, got new blue knobs, which add a tiny pop of color. One of my favorite elements is the appliance garage, which keeps the coffeemaker and toaster within easy reach but cuts down on visual clutter — especially important when the kitchen can be seen from every part of the house. Now Romuald and his wife have a beautiful, spacious new kitchen — and a place where they can both cook up a storm without stepping on each others’ toes.

Romuald found his contractor on Sweeten, a free service matching homeowners with local general contractors. You can read more about the project, see more photos, and find sources on the Sweeten blog.