BEFORE

The Kalima family moved into their Hawaii Kai home nearly a quarter-century ago, and, until recently, they hadn’t touched it. The 35-year-old kitchen was begging for a renovation.

“This house was built back in the 1960s or early 1970s,” says kitchen designer Chuck Siebenthal of Seven Valleys Design/Build. “For the 1960s, it was OK, but not for now." The kitchen was small. Not to mention, what limited storage it had was barely holding on. “The original cabinets were starting to come off the wall,” says homeowner Connie Kalima. “Literally, it was falling apart.”

The Kalimas knew for years the kitchen needed a remodel, and they spent five years preparing for it. After interviewing four contractors, Kalima chose Siebenthal to design and construct her dream kitchen. “Chuck listened, which was very important to me,” she says. “He heard what we wanted. He was realistic, and he didn’t propose anything that wasn’t in our budget.”

With so many years of preparation, Kalima had a wish list set. “I wanted a larger work area and an island where we could sit,” she says. “I definitely wanted to be able to see outside. I wanted lots of cabinets and storage.” Siebenthal presented several choices for the things she didn’t have planned already. “Chuck is very good about providing options and showing materials he feels will work,” Kalima says. “He spent a lot of time up front with the planning, which is why I think everything worked so well.”

The Seven Valleys team doubled the size of the space, borrowing square footage from the covered lanai and gaining even more by tearing down a wall that separated the former kitchen from the dining area. They also replaced the scarce lighting with new track lighting in the open beams overhead.

Siebenthal used E-boo for the flooring, which is composed of bamboo strands compressed and bonded together. “The E-boo is solid wood. That’s a big plus,” Siebenthal says. “It’s easy to maintain. You just use a Swiffer on it, but it has a real-wood feel and look.”

Add in updated appliances, a brand-new granite countertop and cherry-wood cabinetry, and the kitchen is complete. Extra space and updates are just what the Kalimas wanted. “We keep walking around. There’s just so much more space,” Kalima says. “My husband and I can be in the same place at the same time.”