NARI META 2003 Award winner - Residential Kitchen $30,000

NARI META 2003 Award winner – Residential Kitchen $30,000 - $60,000

Award Entry Description:
The principal design challenge this kitchen presented was to bring cohesion to this snug, L-shaped collection of rooms, appliances and cabinets. The small original kitchen had been combined with two adjacent spaces which had French doors leading out to a backyard patio. A closet housing a water heater was located in a key corner. The owners wanted to utilize their existing refrigerator and wine chest in a new design, which would include a new range and dishwasher. They also wanted a small desk area at the far end of the room.

An important step in the design was removal of the corner water heater closet which also enclosed a small closet off the living room (see Original Kitchen Layout sheet). The plan included relocating the water heater to the detached garage in the backyard, removing the enclosing walls and sealing up the living room closet door. We also relocated an interior door in the far end of the kitchen to allow room for a new desk area.

Another decision in the design was how to squeeze the sink and dishwasher into the tight corner area where the original sink was located. A diagonal corner sink base was originally planned, but it meant a smaller sink and an awkward access to the open dishwasher. The final design was linear with the sink base under the window, the dishwasher on the right of the sink and a short counter to the left of the sink.

Halogen under-cabinet lighting in combination with recessed fluorescent ceiling lighting gives the owners several levels of efficient illumination. The kitchen was finished with granite countertops, an undermount sink and new oak flooring. The owners provided the stainless steel designer range and hood.


Layout showing original configuration before remodel	Layout showing final kitchen plan and features.


Before, with corner closet, and after, with closet removed and repositioned refrigerator.			Before and after view into kitchen from adjacent dining area.

Kitchen design features include:
• An efficient primary work triangle was maintained in this design. The total work triangle was approximately 17 feet with each leg between 5’4” and 5’10”.

• An 8” protrusion to the left of the sink beyond the wall corner provided additional counter space to that side of the 32” sink while also allowing room for the dishwasher to the right of the sink. The backside of this protrusion included a
narrow open what-not shelf. The design had to balance the length of the protrusion with the need for adequate aisle space.

• In place of the water heater closet we located a corner diagonal base lazy susan and diagonal wall cabinet (also including lazy susan shelves) with an appliance garage resting on the countertop. The resulting continuous counter space
increased the work area while the appliance garage enabled out-of-sight storage for everyday small appliances.

• The door nearest the dining area was only 22” from the corner which prohibited the placement of a standard 24” deep base cabinet. Rather than move the doorway (and increase the project costs), we specified a 16” deep, 27” long base
cabinet and a 12” wide angle cabinet which provided the transition to the 24” deep partition next to the refrigerator.

• Convenience features include a large pantry cabinet with roll-out shelves, a trashcan drawer and a desk area with an open shelf and a file drawer.

Interesting kitchen design features include:
• An efficient primary work triangle was maintained in this design. The total work triangle was approximately 17 feet with each leg between 5’4” and 5’10”. (NKBA guidelines suggest a minimum triangle of 12’ and a maximum of 26’.)

• An 8” protrusion to the left of the sink beyond the wall corner provided additional counter space to that side of the 32” sink while also allowing room for the dishwasher to the right of the sink. The backside of this protrusion included a narrow open what-not shelf. The design had to balance the length of the protrusion with the need for adequate aisle space.

• In place of the water heater closet we located a corner diagonal base lazy susan and diagonal wall cabinet (also including lazy susan shelves) with an appliance garage resting on the countertop. The resulting continuous counter space
increased the work area while the appliance garage enabled out-of-sight storage for everyday small appliances.

• The door between the dining area and the kitchen was only 22” from the corner which prohibited the placement of a standard 24” deep base cabinet. Rather than move the doorway (and increase the project costs), we specified a 16” deep, 27” long base cabinet and a 12” wide angle cabinet which provided the transition to the 24” deep partition next to the refrigerator.

• A 16” deep by 24-7/8” wide microwave shelf was provided to the right of the range near the center of the cooking triangle. Although currently housing a smaller counter-top microwave, this space is designed for a built-in model microwave.

• The customer wanted an open base cabinet like she had seen in a kitchen design magazine. We incorporated an open cabinet with an eye-brow valance to the right of the range. The interior shelf and sides are stained maple to match the cabinets.

• The inclusion of a pantry cabinet with roll-out shelves provides plentiful storage convenient to the cooking center. A waste-can drawer is located to the right of the range.

• The desk area was designed to accommodate the owner’s wine chest, but still included a file drawer, an open shelf above the desk, and a cabinet above that with glass doors.

• Installation included granite countertops with 1-1/2” bull-nose and a 4” backsplash, plus a full-height backsplash behind the range. The sink is an undermount stainless steel.
• Recessed 26-watt fluorescent ceiling lights were placed over the outer edge of the countertops and in the middle of the kitchen work triangle. Separately controlled recessed incandescent lights were installed in the desk area at the far end of the kitchen.

• Under-cabinet halogen lights were evenly spaced around the kitchen, with a single switch which controlled the 110v feed to the 3 outlets & transformers in the top shelves of the cabinets. Separately controlled halogen lights were located above the desk.


View of sink, with countertop extension and small shelf to add counter space, and view past sink countertop to back desk area and wine refrigerator.