Naperville Addition/Kitchen Wraps Up Construction

Wilshire KitchenWe 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.

IMG_0747The 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.

Wilshire kitchen 2The 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.

Cool Cabinet Tricks for Your Kitchen Remodel – Video

July 24, 2010 by Neil  
Filed under Design & Planning

Somebody turned Neil loose with a video camera!  Here is a short video showing off some cabinet ideas you can incorporate into your kitchen renovation.  From spice racks and roll-out shelves to garbage bins and cutting boards.  Neil takes you on a short tour of the Crimson showroom at 5th Avenue Station in Naperville.

You will see:

  • Apron-front sink
  • Garbage and recycling bins
  • Apothecary drawers
  • Roll-out shelves
  • Pantry cabinet
  • Spice rack
  • Cutting board

Work Almost Complete On Downers Grove Kitchen Renovation

April 25, 2010 by Neil  
Filed under Kitchen Remodeling, Remodeling Projects

Downers Grove Kitchen 1We 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!

Downers Grove Kitchen 2Downers Grove Kitchen 3Downers Grove Kitchen 4

Bolingbrook Addition Completed

August 25, 2009 by Neil  
Filed under Home Additions

Bolingbrook Addition A4

It’s been a few weeks since we completed our addition project in Bolingbrook.  I thought I would get some photos up that I shot with my phone.  The homeowners are still busy moving all their belongings back into the house.  In a couple of weeks maybe we can get some good after pictures to add to the gallery.  Until then these will have to do.

On this project we added fourteen feet to the back of the house to double the size of the kitchen, add a laundry room and double the size of the master bedroom.  We also added a large deck and a three car garage and a full basement under the new addition.  The project took about six months to complete.  During that time we had to work with the city of Bolingbrook to obtain a zoning variance to allow the new garage structure to be built in its current location.  All-in-all a very challenging project.

Bolingbrook Addition A2

Update on Oswego Kitchen Renovation

December 2, 2008 by Neil  
Filed under Kitchen Remodeling

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.
Oswego Kitchen
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.

Oswego Kitchen 2Becuase 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.
Oswego Kitchen 3Now 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.

Oswego Kitchen 4Now 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.

Oswego Kitchen Project

November 16, 2008 by Neil  
Filed under Kitchen Remodeling

We are currently working at a beautiful farmette in Oswego updating a kitchen from the 1950’s to 2008. As you can see, they have a great old barn that towers over our trucks and makes a nice backdrop for a dumpster and a portable toilet (a standard on our jobsites). I absolutely love old barns and still need to get a tour of this one before we are done. One of our first projects as a company was a timber frame addition and this barn is a distant cousin to the work we did on that project.
The house is a rambling farmhouse added onto several times. We are updating the kitchen with new cherry cabinets and granite countertops. Complete with a custom built-in eating area. Lots of new lighting (mostly LED) and glass cabinet doors for displaying treasured items. We added new natural stone tile flooring in a light cream color. The tile is really nice with a lot of natural variation in color. Everybody loves it!
The project is closing in on completion and will be done in the next couple of weeks. Keep looking for new photos as we add the counters, backsplash tile and finishing touches. Here is what the kitchen looks like up until Friday. Note the hidden duct-work for the oven hood over the top of the cabinets. It will eventually be hidden by the crown moulding.
Oh, and that window on the right? We raised it about 12″ so the new counter eating area will line up perfectly with the bottom of the window. Its all about the little things. And planning. Construction is 80% planning and the other 20% is thinking ahead!