Cramped to Custom: Galley Kitchen Gets Transformed
Kitchen Remodel in Tenleytown, Washington, DC
Sometimes a townhouse galley kitchen just doesn’t work for a family. Such was the case for our clients in the Tenleytown area of Washington, DC. The homeowners, a married couple with three children, had been managing with their circa 1920s house and galley kitchen for many years. Unfortunately, they were tired of making due with the outdated cabinets and finishes and the cramped layout.
Although the wall between the kitchen and dining had been partially opened up, the countertop was too high to use and the wall cabinets too low to look through. The time had come to get a larger kitchen where they could entertain guests and family with an open plan informal setting—a kitchen that worked for the long term.
The homeowners’ goals were to:
- Maximize useable kitchen space
- Upgrade the kitchen’s appearance with better quality materials and finishes to make it a more attractive feature of their home
In addition to the kitchen remodel, some coat and backpack storage was needed in the rear entry hall. Minor changes were also made to improve the powder room.
Kitchen Remodel Details
Our design team presented a few different design solutions. The clients preferred the design that removed the wall between the kitchen and the dining room and allowed the kitchen to grow in size.
Everyone agreed that the existing dining room space could be better utilized if the dining table was turned and placed closer to the outside wall to provide more space for the new kitchen. The homeowners were eager to order a custom designed square table with expandable leaves which allowed them to comfortably seat 8. The new table fits perfectly, and the additional space taken from the dining room intelligently benefits the kitchen.
The new kitchen design provides easy access from the side hall/foyer. A center custom island, with a Silestone countertop and furniture-like stained wood finish, matches the new custom dining table and is a feature rarely seen in a row house kitchen. At one wall of the kitchen are full-height, 18-inch-deep cabinets (Woodharbor) that provide pantry storage and glassware stored behind glass cabinet doors. The balance of the other two walls provide ample counter space with a BLANCO sink, range, and refrigerator. The island provides additional storage and accommodates a microwave drawer and charging station drawer for electronics.
The remodeled kitchen also features:
- Ceramic subway tile backsplash
- Virginia Mist honed granite countertops (perimeter)
- Lightolier recessed lighting and CSL under-cabinet wall lighting
The existing hardwood floor was sanded and refinished to integrate with the new kitchen’s oak wood floor. The flooring was extended throughout to harmonize the kitchen and adjacent living spaces.
View more photos of the remodeled kitchen, and visit our gallery to see other projects we’ve completed in the Washington, DC metropolitan area!
