Open Concept Kitchen

This Southern Maine kitchen remodel transformed a 1989 split-level home by removing walls and creating a fully open concept layout. By adding structural supports and redesigning the kitchen footprint, Great Northern Builders opened up the main living area and created a contemporary, family-friendly space. 

The family loved the layout and unique levels of their new home, but the 900 square foot main living area was broken up by walls that boxed the 200 square foot kitchen in and compartmentalized the space away from the large and open living and dining areas. The walls of the kitchen created a barrier that made it difficult to keep the children in sight during meal creation, so the scope of work of this project included removing walls and building in structural supports to provide a fully open layout. 

Aside from the structural work, the kitchen itself was in need of new cabinetry, countertops, appliances, and backsplash that are more suited to the new homeowners’ taste.

The fixture and finish selections transform the room into the type of contemporary space that many would put in the category of dream kitchen, but the project also created efficiency into the 900 square feet of space for this busy family. Originally the kitchen included a door to the deck with another set of sliding doors less than 4 feet away. Removing this superfluous door provided more real estate for counter space and cabinetry. 

The homeowner selected a marble backsplash in “Calacatta Gold” which was installed in an eye-catching, and certainly of-the-moment, herringbone pattern. The original cabinets were replaced with maple shaker style cabinets from Aspect Cabinets and finished with black bronze pulls. The cabinets are finished with a modern two-toned look with the perimeter cabinets finished in white and the island cabinets finished in black. Polished quartz countertops in “Tenor” (which is a smoky gray color with white veining) finish the space. 

The large centrally located island serves as the focal point for the newly wide open floor plan, but the space is tied together with consistent flooring, finishes, and paint colors.  The hardwood floors in the original living space were sanded and refinished and new hardwood flooring to match was installed in the new kitchen.  A new suite of stainless steel appliances were installed including a drawer style microwave in the island and a Thermador gas range with an accompanying hood vent. The black bronze cabinet hardware is matched in the kitchen faucet and overhead light fixtures. The exposed bulbs of the matte black overhead light fixtures have an industrial quality to them, but it’s the simple, clean, and streamlined quality that make them the perfect fit for this new space.