The homeowners enjoy entertaining; the kitchen’s updated appliances allow them to do so with ease.

Wasted space and cabinets so worn they were literally falling apart; that’s what characterized the nearly 15-year-old kitchen in this Hawaii Kai townhouse.

“This kitchen didn’t have any personality. It was very bland and boring. It had a maple floor that had water damage. It was pretty beaten up,” says Susan Palmer, CKD, CBD, president of Susan Palmer Designs Inc.

The whole home needed a significant overhaul, and after interviewing several design firms, the homeowners chose Susan Palmer to help them tackle the outdated space.
“She wanted a kamaaina feeling,” Palmer says. The previous kitchen wasn’t doing it for her. A lack of storage and outdated materials and appliances provided anything but the inviting oasis she desired.

Taking inspiration from a green-and-white Hawaiian quilt the homeowner loved, Palmer created a design that added a sense of classic coziness and increased functionality in the space.

The renovation went smoothly, especially considering one unique challenge Palmer faced. The homeowners live primarily in Japan and use the townhouse as a vacation home. (They hope to settle there permanently once they retire.) The result? They were off-island for the majority of the renovation. Palmer responded with a great solution. She used the Internet to present ideas and material options to the homeowners.

“It can be very shocking when you know what a room looks like and then all of a sudden you see a picture with everything torn out,” Palmer says. But the homeowners understood the process and Palmer’s communication skills guided them all the way. “In today’s world, with e-mails, Internet and iPhone photos, I’d keep them up to date with what was going on. Every week, I’d send them photos of our progress.”

Previously unused space has been repurposed as a pantry with plenty of storage.

With plans in place and the existing kitchen demolition underway, Palmer tackled the lighting. She started by replacing the fluorescent bulbs and plastic rims with recessed lighting and low-voltage down lights. Added lighting under the wall cabinets complements the dramatic stainless-steel hood.

“With all the new lighting, everything sparkles,” Palmer says.

The sparkling effect carries into the glass tile backsplash, which Palmer and the homeowners created together, using colors that echoed those of the Hawaiian quilt they loved. Touches of carved, crisscross stone tiles in the backsplash contrast the smooth glass texture, while a glass tile rope detail helps define the look even further.

Adding to the Hawaiian feel, Palmer replaced the white Corian countertops with a sea-foam green granite. “It’s really pretty. It makes you think of the ocean,” she says.

Storage was next on the list. Increasing space without adding square footage meant utilizing every inch of the existing area. “[We used] pull-out drawers for pots and pans storage,” Palmer says.  She also installed a Lazy Susan, which Palmer refers to as a “Super Susan,” within one of the cabinets to allow for easy access to the ingredients inside.

Easily accessible glass cabinets on either side of the cooktop allow the homeowner to display dishware, while bottom cabinets give her a place to store her spices and cooking oils. The pantry holds roll-out shelves and racks on the door. “She just loves that pantry. It organizes everything much more nicely for her,” Palmer says.

The homeowners love their new space. “It has the Hawaiian feeling, but we still kept things contemporary,” Palmer says. “This is a home they can enjoy forever.”