Open Concept Remodels Archives

Open Kitchen Remodel

Last fall, our project manager, Chester, completed this kitchen remodel for our clients, Rodney and Gena. They had a small, enclosed kitchen and wanted to open up two walls: one to the dining area and one to the living room. Even though we didn’t move any major appliances or plumbing, it is one of our more significant transformations! They chose white custom cabinets which Buck built in our local cabinet shop (for more information on our custom cabinetry, click here!) A white farmhouse sink, steel gray granite counter tops, stone back splash with a green quartzite mosaic strip, vinyl plank flooring, and new appliances completed their design.

We removed the furdown (area of drywall above the cabinets) and relocated the AC duct to the ceiling. This allowed us to make their new upper cabinets ceiling height. We removed the entire wall between the dining area and kitchen to make it one seamless space.

We also removed the entire wall from the kitchen to the living room. We created a peninsula with a bar to the right of the refrigerator overlooking the living room.

We love Rodney and Gena’s design and the finishes they chose. The oak vinyl flooring and mixed back splash add texture and character, while the white cabinets, stainless steel appliances, and new recessed lighting keep the design simple and bright. And now, with ceiling height cabinets and both walls removed, the entire space feels much larger without adjusting the footprint at all! Thank you to Rodney and Gena, for being such a pleasure to work with, and for trusting us with your home.

Joint Kitchen and Bathroom Remodels

/in Bathroom Remodels, Custom Cabinets, Kitchen Remodels, Open Concept Remodels, Remodels /by Buck Hogue

Our wonderful clients, Angie & Erin, had us remodel both their kitchen and one of their bathrooms in one fell swoop! They were a delight to work with, and we love how their new kitchen and bathroom turned out.

We kept the same layout in the kitchen, but updated everything. We built new custom cabinets, installed granite counters with a leather finish, tile back splash, a new vent hood and cook top, and wood-look tile flooring throughout the kitchen, dining, and living areas. The white cabinets, gray counters, and subtle back splash make the kitchen feel so much brighter than before. Removing the upper cabinets and creating a flat counter space around the sink significantly opens up their galley kitchen to the living room.

On the sink side, we included a trash can pull out and installed a new dishwasher. A larger cabinet was built above the refrigerator to partly make up for the lost storage when we removed the upper cabinets.

We also built a custom wine rack to make use of the empty wall space to the right of the refrigerator.

A closer look at the cabinetry detail.

On the opposite side of the kitchen, we replaced the vent hood and cook top. We also included two sets of drawer banks in the lower cabinets. We installed new recessed lighting on the ceiling to replace the large rectangular fluorescent light.

We love the way their new wood look tile flows all throughout the downstairs living areas.

For their upstairs bathroom, we also kept the same layout, and gave everything an update. We built a new vanity and replaced the doors on the linen closet to match, installed the same granite counter and wood-look tile floor as in the kitchen, removed all the tile from the bathroom walls and replaced it with drywall, expanded and tiled the shower (with two corner shelves), added a recessed light in the shower, installed a frame-less glass shower door, replaced the toilet, and hung a hickory floating shelf above the toilet. We also removed the massive light fixture from above the vanity and replaced it with a simple light fixture.

We love how clean and simple this bathroom turned out, and how well it coordinates with their new kitchen. Angie and Erin were such a pleasure to work with. They have two young kids and were living in their home throughout the remodel, but they stayed patient and flexible with us throughout the process. We are thankful they trusted us with both of these projects, and are so glad that they love their new kitchen and bathroom!

First Floor Remodel: Kitchen, Bathroom, Bedroom, Living, & Laundry Room

/in Bathroom Remodels, Garage Conversion, Kitchen Remodels, Laundry Room Remodel, Open Concept Remodels, Remodels /by Buck Hogue

We recently completed a large job for our clients, Zach & Carisse. They own a beautiful 1930’s home in College Station that has been in their family for decades, so they know it will be their forever home. They decided to remodel almost the entire first floor to fit their growing family’s needs so they could continue to enjoy their home for years to come.

Below are brief “before and after” sketches of the layout changes that were made to the first floor.

We converted the original garage into a new living room, and opened it up to the kitchen.
We expanded the bathroom into part of the original garage to make space for a second bathroom entrance and larger vanity.
We expanded the kitchen pantry by relocating the bedroom closet behind it.
We moved the water heater in the garage to an exterior tank-less one.
We created a new laundry / mud room out of part of the back porch, moving the washer and dyer out of the garage.
We used part of the back porch for the newly relocated bedroom closet.

To start, we needed to raise the floor in the existing garage so it would be level with the rest of the house to create the new living space.

They eventually plan to build a new front porch extending almost the entire length of the house. In the mean time, to stay within budget and up to building code, we constructed a simple front porch at the new entrance.

We took apart the back side of the garage to replace the old siding, add two new windows, and install French doors leading out to the back yard.

Below is a view from the inside of the garage. The door pictured here leads into the old kitchen.

The back corner of the original garage: the door pictured below leads to the back yard.

New sub floor is being laid, and the framework has been done for the new windows and French doors.

We opened up the load-bearing wall between the original garage and kitchen. We wrapped the exposed beams in knotty alder, hung a sleek black ceiling fan from the center, and installed recessed lighting.

Two new windows and a new front door were also added to the front side of the original garage to create a new front entrance to their home.

Below is a view from the dining room, through the kitchen, into the original garage.

The same view is pictured below after the remodel was complete. The doorway down the hall on the left wall leads to the bathroom, which we expanded and created this second entrance to.

A view of the new bathroom entrance, so guests can avoid walking through the bedroom to use the bathroom.

Below is a view from the bedroom, through the bathroom, and into the new living space.

We completely remodeled the bathroom.

We expanded the bathroom to make room for a larger vanity and second entrance. Zach and Carisse chose a vintage floor tile to keep with the style and age of their home. They chose to remove the extra small bath tub to create a walk-in shower with recessed soap nook and built in corner bench. We built a custom vanity to match the kitchen cabinets, installed a new granite counter top, and finished it off with subway tile and bronze fixtures and hardware.

Below is the original kitchen space. The doorway pictured on the left leads out into the original garage, where the floor has already been raised. (The nook to the right was built at some point to recess the refrigerator and allow for more space in the old kitchen.)

For the kitchen remodel, we kept the sink, range, and vent hood in the same places. The refrigerator was relocated to the front wall, dishwasher was relocated next to the sink, and a custom island was constructed for the center. Zach & Carisse chose a beautiful gray granite counter with bronze fixtures and black hardware. We built two floating shelves on either side of the vent hood for decorative storage.

Within the island, we built a microwave nook and custom storage, including a trash can drawer and a book shelf end cap.

We expanded the old pantry by removing the bedroom closet that was behind it. Zach & Carisse had reclaimed this door and had been storing it for the perfect opportunity; we hung it as a barn door. It is both beautiful and functional since the pantry opens up to the main walk way between the dining room, kitchen, and living room.

We hung French cleat shelving which can be easily moved around to fit various storage needs.

We created a new laundry / mud room out of part of their existing back porch. We created a place for a second fridge and mud sink in this space, as well. French doors were installed leading from the dining room into the laundry room where the pair of windows are below.

The remaining porch space on the back side of the new laundry room, through the door pictured below, became the new bedroom closet.

Zach and Carisse have a great eye for design and are a pleasure to work with. We are so thankful that they trusted us with their forever home. We know they will enjoy it for years and years to come.

Interior Remodels: Before & After!

/in Bathroom Remodels, Kitchen Remodels, Open Concept Remodels, Remodels /by Buck Hogue

Here’s a look at some of our most recent interior projects!

BEFORE:

AFTER: We painted the existing cabinets and added brand new hardware, installed granite counter tops, a tile mosaic & subway tile back splash, and a wood grain tile floor. We love the color palate Susan chose to transform her kitchen from its previous Southwestern vibe to a sleek and modern space.

BEFORE: On the other side of the wall from this built-in is the dining room. Jon & Tracy wanted to open up the dining space to the living room, but still wanted to save this built-in piece.

AFTER: We added custom columns, arched openings, and moved the built-in to another wall in their living room. This renovation made a dramatic difference in the functionality and visual appeal of this home!

BEFORE: This master bathroom was really tight with the large garden tub. The vanity had been recently updated with a granite counter top, so we focused our efforts on the tub & shower side of the space.

AFTER: We opened up the space by creating a half wall between the shower and new free standing bath tub. We installed wall mounted tub fixtures and a floating shelf. We just finished this bathroom, and are waiting on the custom glass shower enclosure to be delivered!

Thank you to all of our clients!