Kitchen Remodeling

Sewell, NJ

These homeowners stated that their kitchen looked too dark and that they wanted to lighten up the space and add some interesting accessories for their convenience.

Before we started this project, we prepped the area installing our usual dust protection system which includes building a temporary dust wall. The dust wall not only keeps the dust out, but also kept the family pet from wandering into the work area.

A crucial component of the system is an exhaust fan that creates a negative air pressure in the room by exhausting all dust and any construction odors out of the home. These types of exhaust fans are key to preventing the dust from entering adjacent rooms in the home.

The fun part of any project is always the disassembling of the existing fixtures and materials. Some of the cabinets removed were repurposed in the owner’s garage. And others were donated to local charities.

Jay Cipriani took special interest in this particular project looking for ways to shave time from the posted job schedule hoping to use that information to shorten the timeframe on future projects.

After the deconstruction was completed, the next step was to have the electrician come in to run new wires for new LED ceiling lighting and the repositioning of the countertop outlets and switches to coordinate with the new cabinet and appliance positions.

The kitchen exterior walls were drafty and cold, especially during the winter. It’s hard to insulate around all the wires and pipes with traditional fiberglass insulation. So, we used spray foam in all the open cavities, which insulated and air-sealed every little nook and cranny. Closed-cell insulation provides a great thermal barrier between the outside and inside temperatures. It also provides a vapor barrier keeping water vapor from traveling through the walls.

New drywall was installed and taped and spackled prior to the floor installation.

The flooring used on this project was a luxury vinyl tile with real grout lines that simulates authentic ceramic tile but without the cold, hard surface underneath your feet. Luxury vinyl tile has really taken over the market with the endless colors, textures, and patterns available.

The paint was chosen to be applied to the walls and trim. The painter did a perfect job cutting in between the lines of the wall and the ceiling.

The new cabinets arrived and were brought in and staged for installation – Particular attention was paid to making sure that the cabinets were plum and leveled during installation. It’s extremely important to have strong-level cabinets to hold the weight of stone countertops. Also just important is to make sure the wall cabinets are properly screwed to the wall studs which will be holding heavy dishes and canned goods.

These cabinets have full extension drawers, which allow for full access to items stored inside: and soft-close hinges prevent accidental banging of the cabinet doors.

The island had a contrasting, dark grey color that broke up the color scheme in the kitchen.

The owners chose a quartz countertop that color-coordinated with the floor and the base cabinets.

A gray subway-style backsplash was installed, which had a slight texture to it to eliminate glares that would’ve been produced by the under-cabinet lighting.

What a transformation from the dark and dated kitchen into the bright and airy space they have today. The homeowners feel that these lighter colors make the kitchen seem so much bigger. And a beautiful new dry bar is the perfect place to store wine bottles and other items. The dry bar cabinets, island base cabinets, and the stove hood match perfectly together giving a nice contrast to the white cabinets in the main section of the kitchen.

Notice the sink-based cabinet was pulled forward about 3 inches to give a little bit more depth to the window wall. The stainless steel undermount sink allows for easy wiping down of the countertops and the matching stainless-steel faucet has multiple spray patterns for easy dish cleanups.

Butcher block countertops added even more warmth to the room. And a piece of that butcher block was used as a shelf that added even more interest to that space.

Some of the conveniences added include this faucet that allows easy filling of the Keurig coffeemaker. Another nice feature (if your hands are full) is the foot or knee actuated auto opening trash can container. The under-countertop microwave makes it convenient to place items in and take them out. Another great feature built-in was this toe-kick vacuum that makes cleanup fast and simple.

Now, these homeowners have a beautiful, light, kitchen with modern conveniences for everyday life!