Thornberry's Appliance USCD Kitchen Remodel

Kitchen Remodel Project in N.J.

Project Designed and Executed by Thornberry’s Appliance, Kitchen and Bath in Middletown, NJ Using U.S. Cabinet Depot Cabinets

What Problems Did Thornberry’s Appliance, Kitchen & Bath Help Homeowners Resolve?

A busy young family was living with and making do with a kitchen that did not begin to fit their needs. First, it was old and ugly. Second, it was too small. Third, the layout made prep, cooking and clean up difficult. Fourth, they didn’t have enough storage space. Fifth, appliances were breaking down and the laminate floor was deteriorating. And, as photo shows, there was nowhere to keep the trash can out of the main traffic area, making it a tripping hazard.

Further, countertop and workspace was limited, even taking into consideration the drop-leaf that created a peninsula when lifted. The homeowners liked the blue-and-white color scheme, but not the one on their existing cabinets. The cabinets were installed using half-overlay styling, which is outdated and not attractive.

There are no moldings in the room to soften the look.

The basic track lights were not enough to light the cook space efficiently, making it very difficult to see when working at the stove. Lack of cabinets limited storage.

Plus, the existing cabinets did not fill the available space.

Appliances were old and not energy efficient.

How Thornberry’s Appliance, Kitchen and Bath Addressed Homeowners’ Concerns

This photo shows the existing living/family room with all furniture removed in preparation for remodel. The wall on the left is the side view of the section where the fridge and stove are installed. The goal of the remodel was to create an open floor plan with the kitchen, dining area and family room combined so that wall is the first thing to be demolished.

This photo shows the kitchen with all items removed in preparation for demolition. Here you can see the windows; all were replaced in the remodel. Note the door at the far end of the sink counter. This awkward placement prevented any kind of counter to be installed. It had to go.

. Some old-fashioned decorative elements definitely had to go. The corner shelf unit and scalloped valance over the sink were popular in the 1970s and 80s.

Homeowners wanted island seating to replace the table they had been using, so the hanging light centered over the table was removed.

What Did Homeowners Want Included in Their New Kitchen?

The homeowners wanted a cohesive open concept floor plan. The existing kitchen and dining area and living/family room were separate spaces, each with different floor treatments.

They wanted a modern kitchen with transitional styling, new cabinets, flooring, countertops, lighting and appliances – everything.

They went to Thornberry’s Appliance, Kitchen and Bath dealership for design help.

Wow – that is a transformation!

When the fridge/stove wall was removed, the space was immediately opened up. Then the exterior door was removed, together with the large window in the former dining area. Now there was room to work with.

The kitchen now has an island with a built-in microwave, lots of drawer storage and seating. The island seating replaces the table the family used previously. Both island and perimeter countertops got beautiful quartz. Workspace has been increased significantly.

All new energy efficient appliances from Thornberry’s were installed: dishwasher, professional-grade range, microwave and French-door refrigerator in stainless steel.

The apron front farm-style sink with goose neck faucet and spray attachment is stainless. Also, the chimney style exhaust hood is in stainless. Decorative hardware in chrome complete the look.

Glass subway tiles were used for the backsplash. And the homeowners chose a decorative tile insert to dress up the area behind the stove.

Cabinets from US Cabinet Depot

The cabinets are from US Cabinet Depot. The designer took advantage of increased space created when the wall and door were removed to install as many cabinets as possible. Now the wall cabinets wrap around the corner. Crown moldings are attractive and tie the design together. A four-door pantry by the stove provides storage that was missing previously. Cabinets on either side of the range keep cooking essentials close at hand. Plus countertops on the cabinets by the stove provide much needed space for food prep and staging.

The new full overlay installation is much more attractive and contemporary than the former kitchen. Although not shown, many of the new cabinets have built-in storage, including in the corner created by the new layout. And the trash receptacle is now out of sight.

All the cabinets were ordered as Shaker White. Because the homeowners like the look of a blue and white kitchen, the designer had to get creative since blue is not a color available from US Cabinet Depot. To incorporate blue into the remodeled kitchen, island cabinets were prepped and painted blue on site. This was a less expensive solution than going to a more expensive cabinet line to get the blue color. By painting onsite, the homeowner got to pick the color blue they liked the most and didn’t have to pay for custom cabinets.

Lighting is much improved in the new kitchen with trendy copper pendant lights over the new island and built-in lights in the ceiling strategically placed to create optimal lighting. The window over the sink was replaced with a larger one which adds extra sunlight during daytime hours.

Since today’s trends in kitchen design include items from nature, the new kitchen got a natural finished wood beam.

Glass door sliders replaced both the single window in the former dining area and the exterior door that was at the end of the sink cabinet run.

This view would not have been possible before remodel. The awkward wall that contained the stove and fridge was removed, opening up the space between the kitchen and family room. The removal of this wall provided space for the island and expanded cabinet and storage space. And created the kitchen the homeowners wanted.