A kitchen in Downers Grove just finished receiving some dramatic updates thanks to the Crimson team.  Rather than ripping out the entire kitchen and starting over, this homeowner decided to save money by keeping the existing cabinets and updating everything else.

Kitchen Before

First, we removed the old, worn-out linoleum flooring and installed brand new pre-finished hardwood.  The laminate countertops were then replaced with elegant granite counters which were extended further on the peninsula for additional seating.  We also dressed up the space by adding a natural stone backsplash to compliment the granite.  The outdated appliances and plumbing fixtures were replaced with new, more efficient options.  The walls were repainted a lighter color and more light fixtures were added to increase the visibility and open feeling in the otherwise dark kitchen.  Lastly, we installed new decorative hardware on the cabinets to add more detail and improve their functionality.

In just two weeks, this kitchen went from drab to fab with a few simple updates!

Kitchen After

Another home in south Naperville is seeing some big changes thanks to the Crimson team. The owners loved the existing home, but its kitchen was small, dark, and did not take advantage of the views to the beautiful back yard.

Our solution: a 300 square foot addition that would add ample light and space to the kitchen, making it the centerpiece of the home.

Now, the walls and drywall are up, and it’s all coming together.

As you can see, the addition blends seamlessly with the existing structure and features plenty of windows to provide light and views to the backyard.

Soon, the hardwood floors and cabinetry will be installed and it will really come to life.  The kitchen design includes ivory painted inset cabinetry by Fieldstone Cabinetry, a built-in range hood, plenty of pantry storage, and a large central island with seating.

The galley-shaped design will keep the kitchen feeling open and easy to move around in.  The large island will act as a central gathering place, encouraging the family to cook together and making it perfect for entertaining.

The space by the windows will serve as a nice sunny spot for the dining table and even enough room for some extra seating.  Stay tuned to watch this beautiful space unfold.

We just wrapped up an extensive kitchen remodeling project on the South Side of Naperville.  The project involved removing all the kitchen cabinets and one pantry closet (where the new wall oven and microwave are located).  The cabinets were replaced with new Fieldstone Cabinetry in stained cherry and painted maple hardwoods.  The backsplash tile is all new with a great design and accent pattern above the cooktop.

The cabinets contain many innovative design configurations such as roll-out shelving, spice rack drawers, garbage and recycling center, and self-closing drawers.

The original kitchen did not have a vent to clear cooking fumes and smoke from the range.  We were able to add one set in a dramatic mantle-like style.  The new vent exhausts to the exterior and clears any unwanted odors from the kitchen quickly.  No more setting off the smoke detector!  That’s actually a common problem we hear that our clients would like to fix.

See some before pictures of this project.

One of the other big changes to the kitchen space was to add a stainless steel 48″ built-in refrigerator.  This new fridge fits perfectly in an alcove that used to contain the refrigerator and some cabinets.  No lack of space in that machine.  But just to make sure, we also added a beverage fridge near the family room so that the kids can grab pops and fruit juice without getting in the way in the kitchen.

One of the biggest changes to the house was the addition of hardwood floors throughout the first floor and upper hallway.  Every room on the first floor now has beautifully stained white oak floors.  Some of the rooms even have the flooring in patterns with walnut inlays.  Quite the elegant look.

All of the formal spaces on the first floor, and upper hallway, were upgraded with wainscot paneling on the walls.  The white panels add a great contrast to the darker floor and really help to make the wall colors stand out.  The panels were carried up the stairway and down the hall to really tie all the spaces together.

Speaking of stairs, the stairway was also rebuilt to add oak treads and handrails.  The oak was all stained to match the flooring.  New painted balusters were also installed.  A formal wool carpet runner was installed to add that last finishing touch.

Overall this project has turned out great.  It’s a great new living space that the homeowners can be proud of for years to come.

This kitchen on the South end of Naperville is getting a dramatic facelift.  We will be pulling out all the cabinets and replacing them with new Fieldstone Cabinetry.  Beyond the kitchen, we will also be replacing two stairways in the home  with new oak treads and rails, adding hardwood flooring in the living room, dining room and study, and adding trip upgrades such as door heads and wainscot panels.  It’s really quite an extensive project.

This week the homeowners moved out and we relocated all their furniture from the first floor to the basement to make way for the hardwood floor installation.  Any flooring on the first floor that was not hardwood will be upgraded to new white oak hardwood to match the existing.  The existing floors will also be sanded, stained and refinished so that all the flooring blends together.  Three of the rooms will also get walnut inlay strips for a stunning pattern.  Not easy work, but well worth it!  After a two week temporary move the owners will be able to return to a beautiful new floor.

At this point the kitchen cabinets have been removed and as soon as the floors are done the new Fieldstone Cabinetry will be delivered.  The cabinets will be a combination of stained cherry and painted maple with a glaze.  We are using some of the existing granite countertops since they were only a couple of years old.  We will be able to match the existing tops with new granite in some areas to fit our new layout.

We recently wrapped up construction on the second-story addition/kitchen renovation project that was in progress on the North side of Naperville.  We are happy to report that the homeowners are thrilled with the results and wasted no time moving back into their kitchen.  These photos were taken in our last full week at the project so you will notice some things not quite done and temporary plastic and floor coverings in place.

The kitchen features Alder hardwood cabinets from Fieldstone Cabinetry.  Caleb did a great job installing them and they are full of features such as roll-out shelves, a spice rack an apothecary drawers.  The countertops are New Venetian Gold granite and the sink and faucet are from Kohler.

Paul did an awesome job installing the backsplash tile.  Unfortunately for him the pattern worked out that he needed to install 75% of the tile pieces individually and not as sheets as they were designed.  Luckily he stuck with it and it turned out beautifully.

The new floor is red oak that was stained in place and finished with three coats of a water-based finish.  All the appliances were from the existing kitchen and we laid out the new kitchen to accommodate them.

I will need to get this kitchen into the before and after gallery just as soon as I get some real photos (no offense iPhone) of the completed project.

We are nearing the end of the Downers Grove Kitchen remodeling project.  As you can see all the cabinets are installed and we will be installing countertops next week.  That only leaves painting and appliances.

The cabinets are by Fieldstone Cabinetry in cherry and painted maple.  We will be staining the cherry crown to match the cabinets.  The new oak floors are covered in these pictures to protect them during the project.

The next photos should show a completed kitchen!

Recently we started work on a kitchen renovation in Downers Grove. The house was built in the fifties and I don’t think the kitchen has had much done to it since.  It definitely needed updating for the family of five that live there.  These photos were taken on the first day of work.  On that first day we removed all the old appliances, cabinets, vinyl tile flooring and countertops.  We also are taking out all the soffits to allow room for the new cabinets to go all the way to the ceiling.  This will allow for a lot of extra storage space in the new kitchen.

The new cabinets will be cherry wood with a medium finish from Fieldstone.  We are also adding granite countertops and oak flooring.  The appliances will be moved as well as a couple of doorways to make for better traffic flow as well as to make more wall space for cabinets.

All-in-all it’s a fairly complicated kitchen, but it will be well worth it for the family that lives there.

As part of the ongoing kitchen remodel in Oswego we are building a curved wall to serve as an eat-in seating area. I thought I would take some time to show how a curved wall is built and how it turned out.

The first step is to construct curved top and bottom plates from plywood. We used the dimensions from the plans to layout the arcs on a full size template and traced that onto sheets of plywood. Next, studs are cut and spaced every couple of inches on the tight curves and further apart as the shape changes. Now we apply a layer of thin flexible plywood over the frame using glue and staples.

Becuase this plywood is so thin (1/8″) we add a second layer using contact cement to give the wall more strength and rigidity. Lastly, we cover everything with the final layer of cherry veneer shown here. As you can see it is extremely flexible. Again it is attached using contact cement.
Now the wall is set in place where it flows smoothly from one cabinet to another. Later the painters will stain and varnish the cherry veneer to match the Fieldstone Cabinetry.

Now that the granite counters are installed you can see that the curved wall follows the curve of the counter. Also note how the counter flows right into the window. All together a lot of nice details that will make this kitchen very special and perfect for the needs of the family that live here.

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