Heart of the Home

The kitchen...we all know it is the heart of the home...even for families without cooks!!  We gather there, we snack there, we pull up a chair and we sit awhile!  And so when your kitchen does not "work" for the way you live, it is like the pebble in the shoe...everyday frustration...little irritation...constant tension...until finally...one day...you call AsterHouse!!!

The homeowners had purchased this home because it has several fabulous features...however, the kitchen and dining room were not included in that list.  They were anxious to make their home flow better for their young family and love of entertaining!!

We came up with a couple of options that would open up the space and turn this space into one of the best features of the home!!

Before, this space created a traffic jam anytime the fridge was open and anyone wanted to walk through...by relocating the fridge to the interior zone of the kitchen, the space becomes the perfect spot for the wine/serving station!!

The kitchen now flows naturally into the, once seldom used, dining space...the peninsula providing additional seating for those evening homework sessions...or space to layout the game-time spread!!

Bon Appetit!!

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Design Realities

We have all seen the shows...dreadful room...designer breezes in, shares a plan, the crew shows up and within 30min to an hour...VIOLA!!  Gorgeous room!!  We all love these shows...we (heart) any and all "before and after" magic...maybe because we all have a "before" room...ok, maybe rooms...really??...house??? that we just know, with the perfect designer, a little bunch of money and some amazing carpentry skills, could be just that magazine ready "after"!!

So where is the reality??  Well, let me break it to you slowly...30 minutes isn't going to cut it...in fact, not even an hour will do the trick!!  We all know that in our heads, but really??  Our expectations have been seriously messed up!!

What does it take to go from this....

to, say, this.....

These homeowners would be the first to say that the months of planning that led up to the months of construction were well worth the kitchen that is now their favorite room is the house...but those months of planning are why this kitchen functions for them, their family and their needs.  Because during those many planning sessions, the family routines and habits were discussed, described, deliberately thought through, so that what was not working in the "before" would flow beautifully in the "after"...this reno might not work in your space...but for this family, it made them feel right at home!!  It reflects their unique way of doing life...and that is reality!!

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