BEFORE

Sharon wanted a kitchen that was anything but the one she had, which hadn’t been renovated in more than 40 years. “The kitchen always made me feel like I was living in the ’60s or ’70s,” Sharon says. “I often went out to eat … The kitchen experience was not one that I enjoyed.”
Even worse were the safety concerns. The wall that separated the kitchen from the rest of the home held a large electrical panel inside wall-to-wall cupboards. “Needless to say, it was a fire hazard,” Sharon says.

After years of searching for someone to help, Sharon found Randall Omoto, of Homeowners Design Center, in the pages of a  Hawaii Home + Remodeling magazine she picked up at City Mill. “The ad at that time said they were a company that would help you achieve your goals. That was a key word for me,” she says.

To remove the unsafe wall, Omoto enlisted the help of general contractor Chad Taniguchi, of Dream Home Builders. “To demo a wall is not a big deal, but the problem comes with what we have to consider with the wall coming down: the electric,” Omoto says. “They could come in and give different options.”

PROBLEM SOLVER: Removing the original separation wall left Sharon with less storage space. To remedy the problem, Homeowners Design Center extended the cabinetry to utilize the length of the entire far wall.

To take down the wall and move the electrical panel, the team had to rip up the ceilings and remove much of the existing cabinetry. That’s when Sharon decided to replace them with something better.

With realistic costs outlined by the design team, what started as a repair soon turned into a renovation.

Sharon’s top wishes: open up her space and maximize the flow. Another wish? Appeal to all her senses.

The team started by removing the wall. Next, they installed new cabinets, appliances, fixtures, countertops, lighting and flooring.

Sharon did her homework when it came to researching products. She also relied on Omoto’s expertise to ensure not only that quality items were going in, but that the design team considered layout and use in installation.

Next, Omoto granted Sharon’s wish of incorporating flow by creating a cohesive space. New hardwood flooring runs not only in the kitchen, but throughout the home. This helps to create continuity among the home’s various areas.

Now, Sharon has gone from going out to eat regularly to cooking more. “When you’re in a really nice environment, you don’t mind doing these things,” she says.