Small in Scale, Big on Impact

“I never realized how much easier it makes my life to have a well-thought out and beautiful kitchen”

BEFORE	AFTER

Angela Jernigan’s home may be diminutive at 1000 square feet, but that didn’t make the task of renovating her Berkeley cottage anything short of a Herculean task.  Knowing that the tip to toe renovation required a special talent Angela didn’t mess around when choosing her team plares. For the overall planning, Jernigan brought on renowned architect Bennett Christopherson.  When it came time to making decisions about the kitchen Christopherson recommended Paragon Kitchen & Bath Studio and Plato Cabinetry. 

After meeting with Paragon co-owner Elyse Hochstadt and getting a first-hand look at the superb craftsmanship of Plato cabinetry Jernigan agreed on both fronts and so the journey began.

Every project has its objectives, with Angela’s home the objectives were multi-layered. To begin with the tiny, cramped kitchen was to open into the living room and serve as homework and interaction space for Mom and daughter. Further, it was to include ample storage and prep space for all kitchen and daily planning activities, it was to incorporate a “coat closet” without the closet,  and accommodate food and doggie bowl storage for Bella and Monster, Jernigan and partner Rob’s Chihuahua and Pug respectively, and all this was to be done while preserving the built in’s within a 120 square foot space.

No problem Christopherson and Paragon quickly got to work and developed a kitchen design that created a cohesive flow between living and working environments by removing a dividing wall and extending the peninsula counter into the living space.  They then went to work repurposing one existing built-in, formerly a part of the living room, by retrofitting it with new door and drawer faces to match the kitchen cabinets and outfitting it with plenty of electrical for recharging all manner of modern day gadgetry. This piece now serves the function of  “Mom power center” as Angela puts it, in addition to providing storage and display space for dishware, glasses, table linens and other kitchen necessities.

The other “built-in” was essentially a huge and vastly under-developed closet.  It didn’t work for the benefit of the kitchen work flow nor did it provide efficient storage space. Elyse and Angela quickly got to work brainstorming ideas to make the space more purposeful. They eventually agreed on a pantry design that functions as additional workspace as well as storage. This was accomplished by outfitting the interior with electrical, roll out shelving for appliance storage and use, a door mounted spice rack and ample shelving for accessible food storage.  “Elyse was always full of creative solutions to our problems, said Angela,  “she listened deeply to what I liked and how I used the space.”

Understanding how the kitchen was going to be used was vital to making it work so no detail was overlooked , which brings us back to Bella and Monster. The solution to this challenge of bowl and food storage took the form of a custom hutch cabinet made to function as an end cap to the base cabinet run. Located right at the entrance of the house, the cabinets’ hutch legs sit on the floor and create a small alcove with just enough space to keep the dog bowls out of the way of entering feet. The cabinet space above is sufficient for food cans and doggie treats.

Given that the kitchen could accommodate only a minimal amount of cabinets, each one had to be well thought through and every available inch had to maximized. Corners are always tricky and are often places where space is lost or underused. This kitchen couldn’t afford such a loss so the corner cabinet was outfitted with a pull out system that maximizes storage while increasing accessibility. The adjacent cabinet includes roll out trays and a large top drawer while the remaining cabinet serves the range area by storing cooking utensils and things like oven mitts.

Choosing the right surface material for the counter top was another important decision. It had to hold the two spaces together without becoming an overly imposing feature. Silestone’s Gedatsu from that companies Zen Collection, struck just the right balance between “statement” and “understated.” Having a custom drain board fabricated, Christopherson’s  contribution,  was a stroke of genius and is a beautiful design element.

Oil rubbed bronze pulls and plumbing fixtures unify the elements while the blue penny rounds on the back splash add the necessary pop of color to give the kitchen a warm and homey feel.

In renovating a kitchen homeowners are faced with what seems like a never ending stream of possibilities and decision making. "Elyse really helped me narrow down the options so I wasn't too overwhelmed by all the choices," says Jernigan. "In the end I got the kitchen I really wanted."

When you're ready to transform your kitchen, make an appointment with Paragon Kitchen & Bath Studio, 625 Trestle Glen Road, Tues-Friday 10-5 and Saturday 10-3.