Mari Margaret Freundl
Mari Margaret is a Designer at KSI's Birmingham Design Center.
Mari Margaret is a Designer at KSI's Birmingham Design Center.
As a kitchen designer, it’s always delightful to collaborate with interior designers and help them bring their vision to life. And it’s always fun to work with a client that has a passion. I had the pleasure to do both with this recent kitchen remodel in Rochester!
Local Interior Designer Armina Kasprowicz was looking for a kitchen design firm to partner with on a remodel project for a homeowner who absolutely loved to bake, but hated her late-nineties kitchen. KSI’s combination of beautiful cabinetry options, elevated kitchen design, and full remodeling services made it easy for her client to proceed with us!
Bringing Style Forward from Nineties to Now
When this project came to me, we were dealing with a house that had not been updated since the nineties. The homeowner was really looking to update the style of the kitchen while making it more functional.
Starting with cabinetry, we wanted to select something elegant and timeless while getting away from the traditional raised panel cabinet doors of decades past. The door we selected, Apollo by Medallion, is a trending door style called a Micro Shaker or Slim Shaker. It has a profile similar to shaker doors, but with much thinner stiles and rails. A rich, dark stain on the cabinetry – Smoke with Ebony Highlight – grounds the space and contrasts beautifully with the porcelain countertops and backsplash.
With the hardware, one of the neat details we developed was the addition of a black matte backplate behind the brushed gold handles to create a rich mix of materials.
Armina had a vision for porcelain countertops and a full-height backsplash in the space. Porcelain is a material that has become increasingly popular in recent years for unique qualities ranging from high heat resistance to the capability of having a thinner profile than more traditional countertop materials. This kitchen highlights another big advantage of porcelain – it’s great for doing full height backsplashes with book matching. This wonderful custom look can be achieved with natural stone as well, but at a much higher price point.
One of my favorite challenges with this project was to replace a cluttered desk area with something more functional. The only instruction our client gave me for this space was that she needed more room to store dishes! I designed a hutch that created plenty of additional storage while becoming a real focal point in the space. We backlit the glass as opposed to using pucks with glass shelves, allowing everything to be lit evenly. To reduce clutter, we added a charging drawer in the lower cabinets for devices that used to be plugged in on the counter. In the end, we optimized storage while creating a statement piece that looks like furniture.
Baking Serenity
For this client, baking was a passion and clearing clutter was a priority! It was critical to make sure there was a designated place for everything she had in the kitchen. With this in mind, we integrated several appliance garages into the design to keep coffee makers, toasters, and other small appliances out of sight when not in use. We integrated pullouts for her cooking utensils by the range. A mixer lift in the island keeps the mixer under counter but easily accessible and ready to work when it’s time to make cookies.
A Rewarding Remodel Journey
Our white glove remodeling service was a key factor in Armina’s decision to recommend KSI to her client. As there typically are with any remodel project, there were a few unanticipated challenges that popped up during the process. Removing the old corner angle pantry exposed hidden lines in the wall that had to be moved, and new gas appliances required ¾” gas lines to be run across the basement where the existing ½” lines were insufficient. Our experienced remodeling team easily handled these issues to ensure a painless and hassle-free remodeling experience for the client – all while executing the installation with expert craftsmanship and meticulous attention to detail.
Working alongside a passionate client and a talented interior designer like Armina Kasprowicz made this project incredibly rewarding. From updating outdated elements to introducing innovative solutions for storage and organization, we transformed this late-nineties kitchen into a modern space tailored to the homeowner's love of baking. At KSI, we pride ourselves on delivering not just beautiful designs but also a seamless, hassle-free remodeling experience. This Rochester kitchen is a testament to our commitment to bringing our clients’ visions to life, one detail at a time.
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About Armina Kasprowicz and Armina Interiors
Based in Detroit, we design primary and vacation residences — wherever our clients call home. Whether for new construction, renovations, furnishing and decorating, or a combination, we pride ourselves on our ability to create distinctive, one-of-a-kind spaces that reflect our clients' personalities and lifestyles, with the artfully designed, globally-inspired quality we are known for.
https://www.arminainteriors.com/