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The Gathering Place
Photo by Macario
Design by Randall Omoto, of Homeowners Design Center
Clients’ must-haves and wish list: This older Nuuanu home’s living space was divided into four very separate areas, which included the kitchen, a small den and the dining and living rooms. The clients needed a larger kitchen that would unite all the living areas, while offering an increased user-friendly space where family and guests could gather.
Design challenges: Walls! Too many separate rooms left the kitchen feeling walled off. The entire floor plan needed to be revised to give the clients more practical space with an open feel. Old appliances needed updating, and the lack of storage space remedied.
How Homeowners Design Center made it work: Randall Omoto, the designer, started by knocking down all the walls and relocating the kitchen to a more convenient area of the house. He incorporated a bar area for drinking and dining, and a buffet perfect for Sunday morning breakfast. Omoto added new appliances, a large island where guests often gather, lots of cabinet space, even some decorative display areas on the side of the peninsula.
What makes it The Gathering Place: A revamped floor plan and a fabulous new kitchen cured the clients’ “pocket-party” syndrome. Now instead of guests gathering in four separate rooms, they can gather in one big one. Homeowners Design Center found a way to utilize the space for more storage, more performance and more flat-out fun.
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Easy Living
Photo by Macario
Design by Shelley Tanner, CKD, of JohnCookKitchens
Clients’ must-haves and wish list: When the Tantalus homeowners set out to update their home, improving the function and efficiency of their kitchen was No. 1 among their must-haves. Entertaining guests, cooking with gas and capturing the stunning views also made the list.
Design challenges: The original 1950s retro décor, with yellow walls, red laminate countertop and brown printed ceramic tile had to go! More important, limited storage, inefficient workspace, lack of lighting and awkwardly placed cabinets and appliances made it wholly undesirable to work here. The walled-off, separate feel also had to be fixed.
How JohnCookKitchens made it work: The entire space was gutted and designer Shelley Tanner started from scratch. The kitchen was opened up to adjoining rooms. Corner windows were added to supplement the view from the makai-side window. Another existing window was closed to accommodate storage-increasing cabinets. A uniquely shaped island added workspace and became a beautiful focal point. A gas cooktop and wok burner with stainless-steel hood were installed in the island for the avid chef. A sitting area was included nearby. Cherry wood cabinet doors, blue granite countertops and backsplashes add “wow” factor.
What makes it Easy Living: The new kitchen has exceeded the homeowners’ expectations. Entertaining is the pleasant experience it should be, where the homeowners and guests can socialize and take in the beautiful views. Elegant and inviting, the final product is also functional and efficient.
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Wilhelmina Retreat
Photo by Victor Giordano
Design by Rick Cowan, CKD, of Archipelago, Refined Island Interiors
Clients’ must-haves and wish list: The busy family of four wanted a functional, stress-free place to gather and regroup. The new kitchen needed a big boost of style to unite it with the more traditional plantation style of the rest of the home—all while remaining as environmentally conscious as possible.
Design challenges: The overall design was disjointed and lacked one cohesive style. The existing windows had to be incorporated into the new design, while the electrical box and panel desperately needed to be moved. Awkward appliance placement and a lack of counter space also limited the functionality of the kitchen area.
How Archipelago made it work: Designer Rick Cowan added an island with plantation-style crown molding on the countertop and decorative details. A durable combination of granite and sustainable-wood countertops around the perimeter of the kitchen complement each other, while playing off the light-colored, formaldehyde-free cabinetry. In order to increase functional working space, Cowan closed off an exterior door and moved the fridge and microwave. He also changed the archways from curved to square, and added new, more traditional moldings.
What makes the kitchen a Wilhelmina Retreat: A great view of Diamond Head is the perfect backdrop for relaxation. After a long week, the whole family can spend time together in a beautiful, peaceful atmosphere that blends as perfectly with their lifestyle as the kitchen does with the rest of their plantation-style home.
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Modernized Island Charm
Photo by Augie Salbosa, courtesy of Choi International
Design by Mark Shigei, AIA, of Snaidero Hawaii
Clients’ must-haves and wish list: This contemporary Kahala home called for a kitchen that would complement the rest of the home’s beauty and integrity. Located at the heart of the home, the kitchen design needed to make the most of its space in order to avoid becoming an obstacle in the flow of the floor plan.
Design challenges: Designer Mark Shigei’s biggest obstacle was finding a way to utilize the space and shape of the kitchen. A 22-foot-long wall limited its potential depth. At the center of the home, the kitchen was surrounded by the dining room, living room and family room on each side. Managing traffic, in and around the kitchen, had to be considered.
How Snaidero made it work: Shigei solved the kitchen’s biggest design challenge with a layout that mimicked the unique shape of the home. Cabinets were installed along the full length of the 22-foot wall, but because of the accommodating layout, they don’t overwhelm the kitchen. Incorporating wide drawers and cabinets in the design also helped achieve the modern look and feel that this home needed.
What makes it Modernized Island Charm: The final product incorporates cutting-edge design details—without going over the edge. The kitchen’s style and neutral palette complement the whole home’s décor, adding charm and subtle modernity to an already beautiful home.
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Family Fanfare
Photo by Macario
Design by Glenda Anderson, of Details International
Clients’ must-haves and wish list: This fun, active family wanted an expanded, open kitchen to accommodate four growing boys, big family dinners and homework, while still being elegant enough for entertaining.
Design challenges: The previously remodeled first floor left little room for kitchen expansion. Also, a solid concrete exterior wall with a small window and enclosed lanai structurally limited how the space could be altered.
How Details International made it work: Designer Glenda Anderson cut out as much of the concrete wall as possible, leaving only the supporting beams. By working at an angle, Anderson also expanded into the enclosed lanai and left the remaining space for a smaller living area. The kitchen’s peninsula was pivoted at the same angle and an unusual island with a unique shape was added. Green granite countertops, green beadboard and cream-colored cabinetry add elegance and sophistication to the gracious lines and sculptural feel, while a large, framed skylight was wired for lots of lighting—day or night.
What makes it Family Fanfare: This family is all about fun, and it needed a kitchen to match. With new, more open, functional space and beautiful details, the new kitchen definitely puts the “style” in their family-centered lifestyle. Now, they can easily go from family dinners and homework to elegant entertaining.
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Asian Treasure
Photo by Macario
Design by Michael Smith, CMKBD, of Kitchen Concepts Plus
Clients’ must-haves and wish list: Inspired by their own collection of Asian artifacts, the clients wanted a new kitchen with a Far East feel. Sliding louver doors separated this condominium kitchen from the dining room and obstructed the scenic view.
Design challenges: Simply working in the confines of a condo has its inherent challenges. Space is limited and structural changes are restricted. Time is inevitably wasted waiting for elevators to carry supplies and materials up and down.
How Kitchen Concepts Plus made it work: Michael Smith, designer, opened up the doorway between the kitchen and the living room to connect the two spaces and share the view of the lanai and beyond. The refrigerator and sink were positioned on one wall, and the cooking area and pantry on the other. For an Asian-inspired look, Kitchen Concepts Plus used its exclusive German-made Poggenpohl cabinetry with a horizontal grain. Above the sink, frosted glass cabinet doors with interior lighting create beautiful shadows and colors. German greenstone countertops and backsplash top it all off, while a chandelier and layers of thoughtful lighting provide great ambience.
What makes it an Asian Treasure: A newly designed kitchen with European cabinetry and an Asian feel complements the homeowners’ artifacts in a kitchen they will treasure for years to come.
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Mariners Cove
Photo by Thomas Del Amo
Design by Chuck Siebenthal, CKD, of Seven Valleys Construction
Clients’ must-haves and wish list: The clients wanted to visually open up the kitchen and keep the flow of the existing oak flooring throughout the living areas. The new kitchen needed not one, but two sinks: one with a view of the pool and lanai, the other to prep food and face the family room. They also wanted a visual focal point, minimal use of stainless steel and more storage and counter space.
Design challenges: The original kitchen’s three separate entrances and general lack of space walled off the room from the rest of the house, limiting guest and family interaction.
How Seven Valleys made it work: Designer Chuck Siebenthal closed off two of the three entrances, then expanded the third to serve as the only opening to the kitchen. A bar-height, full-length wall with countertop took the place of a walkway between the kitchen and family room, doubling as a breakfast area. A window with an inside/outside pass-through (and a great view of the pool and lanai) was added above the sink. The cooking area, at the center of the U-shaped kitchen, became a focal point of interest, as it can be seen when entering the home and from the living areas. Black appliances are complemented by the granite counters. Red-oak Shaker cabinet doors tie into the oak floor. The opened walls and revamped lighting and storage help increase space.
What makes the kitchen a Mariner’s Cove: To the clients’ delight, all of their wishes were granted. An eye-pleasing palette flows openly and seamlessly with the rest of the home.
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Form and Function
Photo by Anthony Consillio
Design by Edmund Sugawa, of EMEE Kitchens & Baths
Clients’ must-haves and wish list: As frequent entertainers, the homeowners wanted their already large kitchen to flow more naturally into the dining and living areas, without having to give up any counter or desk space. They also wanted to incorporate storage and display areas that would supplement their media center. Additional storage and seating areas for TV viewing—from either end of the kitchen—were also requested.
Design challenges: Size! Whereas most clients are looking for more space, these homeowners were looking to better manage their space. At 40 feet long at one side, the placement of the sink and appliances posed an unusual problem. The existing windows across the long wall limited the wall cabinets as storage, and the home’s structural beams made it difficult to create an open look for the kitchen.
How EMEE Kitchens & Baths made it work: Designer Ed Sugawa turned one big project into three more manageable ones. By concentrating on each individual area of the kitchen separately, Sugawa wasn’t overwhelmed. He used granite countertops to create continuity among the different areas of the kitchen, and high-end appliances to set off the counters and stylish cabinets. Keeping the existing windows also meant keeping the wonderful, expansive view.
What makes it Form and Function: The new kitchen utilizes its space with beauty and style. Increased functionality and flow merge with well-chosen materials to create a gorgeous space the homeowners (and their guests) love to live in.
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Casual Elegance
Photo by Olivier Koning
Design by Susan Palmer, CKD, of Susan Palmer Designs
Clients’ must-haves and wish list: More, more, more! The clients sought to open up their cooped-up kitchen to blend with the family room, while providing much-needed work, cabinet and counter space. In order to keep the kitchen ultra-functional for family and guests, an efficient layout was a must.
Design challenges: The kitchen had an overall lack of space for living and entertaining. A wall separating the kitchen from the family room kept the two spaces separate and small. The ceiling, with two different heights, needed to be united into one uniform level.
How Susan Palmer made it work: Palmer knocked out the wall between the kitchen and family room. Then, she built up the lower ceiling to meet the higher one. A tri-level, pie-shaped island at the center of the L-shaped kitchen offers three levels of functionality for the family, including seating, two different sinks and tons of workspace. Granite countertops unite the space and new tile flooring blends with the family room. Old appliances were replaced with new ones, and storage was tripled, with enough space to accommodate a stacked washer and dryer in a tall tower cabinet.
What makes it Casual Elegance: Two small rooms were blended into one very livable space. Now this fun family with two large dogs can cook, eat and entertain comfortably with plenty of space to spare. Beautiful design details combine with quality appliances and materials to create a kitchen that is not only practical, but elegant as well.
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Manoa Warmth
Photo by Tomas Del Amo
Design by S. Ryan Boyd, CKD, of American Cabinetry
Client’s must-haves and wish list: The homeowner was looking to expand her cozy kitchen into a larger, more open space that would flow with the home. The kitchen had to be large enough to accommodate a growing home business and serve as an open, airy and inviting place for friends to gather.
Design challenges: A narrow path leading to the exterior kitchen door made moving the sizeable refrigerator quite tricky. Also, American Cabinetry came in where the initial contractor left off. Some rewiring of electric and lighting was required before work could continue. Once the stage was set, the redesign went on—minus many typical problems. Pre-planning (and good communication among the contractor, designer and homeowner) allowed for smooth sailing.
How American Cabinetry made it work: Walls were knocked down and an addition was built onto the original space. Ten-foot-high ceilings create openness; windows let in the beautiful outdoors. Two new islands offer an area for food prep and seating or working. A built-in pantry, wine rack, drawers and lots of pullouts build an abundance of convenient storage space. Locally made cherry wood cabinets, with a nutmeg finish, give the kitchen brilliant warmth. Branches and hedges near the exterior door were cut to move in the new refrigerator.
What makes it Manoa Warmth: The beautiful cherry cabinetry plays an integral part in making the kitchen a bright, warm place to cook and entertain. The open plan, yet intimate feel of the space, invite the homeowner and guests alike to enjoy their beautiful surroundings.
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Grandeur Island
Photo by Macario
Design by Alex Butchart, CKD, of Highline Kitchen Systems
Clients’ must-haves and wish list: The homeowners asked for a grand kitchen space with a large island for cooking, dining and entertaining. A downdraft range should be included in the island, along with increased storage space. The clients, one a professor of geology, also requested teak-finished cabinetry and very unique granite countertops.
Design challenges: The new downdraft range needed to be connected to the existing draft system in a different location, while the island needed to be designed within the confines of the existing floor plan.
How Highline Kitchen Systems made it work: Designer Alex Butchart created an island with an interesting shape, and large enough to hold the new range and seat five people comfortably. Flush-door teak cabinets with fun handles and pulls add storage space and charm, while the stunning granite countertops with large, shimmering crystals satisfy the geologist.
What makes it Grandeur Island: The clients’ every wish was granted with style. The size and shape of the new island now allows the homeowners and their guests to gather around the chef with ease. Beautiful finishes and unique materials top off a new kitchen that can’t be described as anything less than grand.
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Makaha Beach Hideaway
Photo by Macario
Design by Judy Dawson, CKD, of Designer Kitchens and Baths
Clients’ must-haves and wish list: The clients wanted places to keep books, a display area for a shell collection, better lighting and easy care. They also wanted a built-in washer/dryer.
Design challenges: The condo on the beach in Makaha is the couple’s second home and offers very limited space.
How Designer Kitchens and Baths made it work: Designer Judy Dawson incorporated angles, open shelving, solid-surface counters and colorful lava-stone accent counters. She used easy-to-care-for porcelain tile flooring throughout to reflect the sandy beach and expand the space so the kitchen blends effortlessly with the rest of the living areas. She designed a multifaceted lighting scheme: recessed lighting, undercabinet lighting for task and mood, and accent lighting in open shelving and display cabinets. Finally, she replaced the existing washer and dryer with a built-in under the kitchen counter.
What makes it Makaha Beach Retreat: The clients were receptive to suggestions, found Dawson’s ideas innovative and unusual and were very pleased with the outcome. Their condo kitchen’s new colors better reflect the ocean’s aqua, in an open and relaxed style.
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Modern Restoration
Photo by Augie Salbosa
Design by John Gestrich, of The Kitchen, Bath & Closet Showroom
Clients’ must-haves and wish list: The homeowners wanted a modern new kitchen that wouldn’t stand out in their older Kaimuki home. They wanted to keep their beautiful 10-foot ceilings, while also keeping in line with the original style of the home, which dated back almost 50 years.
Design challenges: The clients challenged John Gestrich, designer, to find a reasonably priced cabinet line. Gestrich also had to stick to charming design details and a palette of simple colors that would complement the home’s existing style.
How the Kitchen, Bath & Closet Showroom made it work: Gestrich found beautiful blue cabinets with shaker-style doors. He made sure to repeat the use of beadboard in the kitchen that was found in the rest of the home. Granite countertops with flecks of black and blue pick up on the subtle color scheme. New stainless-steel appliances were installed, as well as new double-hung windows with complementary wooden blinds.
What makes it a Modern Restoration: Excited first-time guests to the newly remodeled kitchen are wowed by the fabulous look and feel, but are quick to add that it fits perfectly into the older style of the home. Ultimately, this revamped older Kaimuki kitchen is classic, but unmistakably modern.
- American Cabinetry
619 Mapunapuna St. - 838-7770
www.american-cabinetry.com - Archipelago, Refined Island Interiors
Gentry Pacific Design Center
560 N. Nimitz Hwy., Suite 121A
536-7739
www.archipelagohawaii.com - DESiGNER Kitchens & Baths LLC
734-2891 - Details International Inc.
Gentry Pacific Design Center
560 N. Nimitz Hwy., Suite 104
521-7424
www.details-international.com - EMEE Kitchens & Baths LLP
98-029 Hekaha St., Suite 1
484-5354 - Highline Kitchen Systems
1276 Young St.
589-1104 - Homeowners Design Center
1030 Kohou St, Suite 201
847-0216
www.homeownersdesign.com - JohnCookKitchens
Gentry Pacific Design Center
560 N. Nimitz Hwy., Suite 215B
599-3533
www.johncookkitchens.com - The Kitchen, Bath & Closet Showroom
Kilohana Square
1030 Kapahulu Ave, Suite 5
(808) 737-6700 - Kitchen Concepts Plus
Gentry Pacific Design Center
560 N. Nimitz Hwy., Suite 202
524-6656 - Seven Valleys Construction
1130 N. Nimitz Hwy., C-120
521-7134
www.sevenhawaii.com - Snaidero Hawaii
Gentry Pacific Design Center
560 N. Nimitz Hwy., Suite 120
599-4554
www.snaidero-usa.com - Susan Palmer Designs
Dole Cannery at Iwilei
650 Iwilei Road, Suite 195
599-7606
www.susanpalmerdesigns.com
