August 31 2012

1717 Oakbrook Drive, Jenison, Georgetown Township, MI

With the original cabinets painted white years ago, this kitchen in Jenison was ready for an update, and with an ever expanding family that frequently breaks bread together it just wasn’t large enough anymore to accommodate everyone. A small entry way from the garage made the kitchen seem small and cramped, and an underused front room beckoned with additional floor space. Judy and Dwight Elenbaas knew it was time for a makeover, and they had an ambitious plan to gain not only more room and storage but a wide open floor plan. Bulkheads, walls, and cabinets were removed, and the entire area was re-drywalled. At the same time the electrical service was updated, with additional outlets added and lighting added to make the space more functional and bright. With the walls removed, the cabinet line up could be rethought, and although the appliances stayed in place other significant changes were made. An outdated china hutch was replaced with a bank of pantries that ended with an entertaining storage area with glass doors, and an angled peninsular was added to increase the seating capacity within the kitchen. The angle also increased the width of the walkway, and with the wall from the service door opened up the entire room just feels so much larger, from one end to the other. Maple cabinets were installed, and with the larger counter space the work areas were increased dramatically. A beautiful tile backsplash was installed, adding both texture and color. With a new floor completing this project, the entire Elenbaas family can now spend time enjoying each others company in a space that is truly beautiful and plenty large enough for all of them. Mission accomplished!*Special note of interest. After the demolition of the bulkheads and walls, Dwight and Judy left for vacation. During their absence the drywall installer took care of the repairs, and since he noticed the china hutch area was not level any more he redrywalled that too. Of course that made the entire space smaller, and when the new cabinets were brought in to be installed they were too large. Since Kitchens by Katie had custom built the cabinetry, we were able take it back to the shop and cut it down to fit. No six week delay for a replacement (which would have been typical of most cabinet lines) and it was ready to be installed the next day!

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