Design Solutions A desire for openness, does not always require increasing square footage. With a combination of rearranging physical features and changing the surfaces, we created the openness. Removing the hanging cabinets and vaulting the kitchen's ceiling allowed for a continuation of the rest of the home's vault. The physical height, additional light from a well-positioned new skylight, recessed fixtures and accent lighting now fully illuminate a room that was previously dark due to its forested location and Northern exposure. The new combined elements cause the room to appear much larger than it actually is. While removing the hanging cabinets and low ceiling opened the space, it also reduced the amount of storage space. To counter this loss, the new cabinets had taller uppers that captured space that was previously wasted in soffits. Now each unit could have an additional shelf. Another way we connected the various areas of the home was by extending the curvilinear countertop on the peninsula beyond the cabinet base. The multifunctional counter now provides a larger buffet serving area and allows guests and family members to comfortably interact with the cook. Light maple cabinets combined with a lighter bamboo floor visually brightened and opened the room. Vintage, yet timeless recessed Shaker style cabinet doors and craftsman lighting provided clean traditional lines that modernized the room. Our design/build team devised innovative solutions to help optimize savings without compromising on quality or beauty. We reused the existing window that the homeowners had recently purchased and installed modestly priced laminate countertops and beveled the edges to make it appear as a more expensive solid surface. Further costs were minimized by not relocating any of the plumbing. Such creativity allowed these homeowners to splurge on higher impact specialty items such as the Terrazzo glass tiles that give sparkle to the entire backsplash. From dark and dated to bright and airy, the affects of this radical transformation extend well beyond the kitchen itself. They lend a sense of serenity and beauty to the rest of the home as well.