Homeowner Richard Mizuta fell in love with a chiseled backsplash he saw in a Servco showroom and wanted to incorporate the same idea in his new kitchen. The backsplash now echoes Diamond Head on one side and the Koolau mountain range on the other.

BEFORE

Like many homeowners, the Mizutas knew for years that their kitchen needed a remodel. “He (homeowner Richard Mizuta) talked about doing this for 10 to 15 years before they contacted me,” says designer Ed Sugawa of EMEE Kitchens & Baths.

The galley kitchen, closed off by a long wall that held old, faded and cracking particleboard cabinets, was inefficient and dated. “The kitchen was very dark and unventilated,” Sugawa says.
After living in the home for almost 40 years with no renovations, the time finally came. “We got tired of it, and I wanted to open it up,” Mizuta says.

The Mizutas interviewed a number of designers, including Sugawa, but didn’t take the leap until two years after the interviewing process began, when they returned to EMEE Kitchens & Baths. “We were comfortable with Ed,” Mizuta says. “He spent a lot of time with us and didn’t charge us a dime [for the consultation]. We thought he was very honest.” 

Sugawa started by removing the wall that isolated the space from the rest of the home. However, removing the wall meant losing the cabinetry that came with it. The solution: incorporate new, efficient cabinetry design.

The previous cabinetry contained no pullouts or vertical storage, so functionality was lacking. Now, within the same footprint as the original kitchen, Sugawa gave the Mizutas drawer space, a spice rack, a pullout garbage can and tray dividers. “They can stack cutting boards and cookie sheets vertically and store things more efficiently,” Sugawa says. “The best part is we didn’t infringe on anything. We stayed inside the original kitchen, we just made it better.”

Another advantage to taking down the wall: the views and the breeze. The previously closed-off space lacked natural light and ventilation. Now, with the addition of energy-efficient windows, the Mizutas can take advantage of their Waianae Coast-to-Ala Moana vistas and let in the trade winds.

The opened space now serves as a focal point for guests coming through the front door. Before, when you walked into the home, you faced the blank wall of the kitchen. Now, with the wall taken down, the kitchen stands out. “The first thing people see now is the huge, beautiful granite countertop and the Thermador hood,” Sugawa says. “It leaves a bigger impact on visitors. The homeowners are able to be proud of what their living area looks like when people come to their house for the first time.”