tying it all together  -  ground floor renovation and reconfiguration

Lakeview,    Chicago Illinois    Completed 2017

Project Scope: Full floor renovation including kitchen, dining, family and mudroom.

We started from scratch on this level, demolishing everything down to the studs and the foundation walls.  After reviewing plans that tried numerous layout configurations, it made the most sense to keep a progression of kitchen, dining and family room.  However, a big move that involved turning a window into a door, made the most impact in the space and the function.  From a planning perspective, creating this doorway and shifting the family room forward was no easy task. The fireplace had to be narrowed to allow the sofa to get closer to the TV without being too close and we continued to tweak the dimensions to make it all work out just right.  

Another creative and worthwhile move was to reroute the mechanical ducts to the hallway from over the existing cabinets. This allowed us to extend the new cabinetry all the way to the ceiling and make the kitchen feel loftier and more open.  A combination of recessed lighting and pendants were added and the entire space was opened up for a modern flow. Along the east wall, uninterrupted cabinetry extends from kitchen, to dining room bar, to family room fireplace and bookshelf. Varying heights and depths of this cabinetry creates interest while maintaining a connection between the spaces.    

In the kitchen, the fridge and sink were moved from one side of the kitchen to the other allowing us to remove the wall closing it all in. Another smaller island sink was added to fit the work triangle while the main sink and dishwasher have been moved to the window wall. A small tv (perhaps the owner's favorite feature) was added flanking this dishwashing zone to make the task just a little more enjoyable. 

G.C. Allways Remodeling

Photos Matt Mansueto