Home Remodeling Specialist

Natick Kitchen Remodel
AFTER PHOTO: This shows that the front half wall is gone (as is the washer!). The client now has a dishwasher where the washing machine was and storage on the left side of the room, in a previously unused area!

Award Winning Natick Kitchen Remodel

Award Winning Natick Kitchen Remodel

Take a look at this dramatic transition!  This Natick Kitchen Project just took a 2017 Silver Award from the Eastern Massachusetts Chapter of the National Association of the Remodeling Industry.

The project consisted of a much-needed 10’ x 11’ kitchen renovation for a young couple with small children and a tight budget!   The clients had persevered for years without a dishwasher (a washing machine was in its place) and a small, walkway between appliances and the back hall (where pictures are on the wall in the BEFORE shot), including an over-sized refrigerator sitting alone and protruding into the room!   Our job was to create a more functional and aesthetically pleasing kitchen within a very tight budget.

Natick Kitchen remodel before photo.
BEFORE PHOTO: This shows the half wall and header we removed to visually (and physically) open the space. Notice the washing machine on the right!
Natick Kitchen Remodel
AFTER PHOTO: This shows that the front half wall is gone (as is the washer!). The client now has a dishwasher where the washing machine was and storage on the left side of the room, in a previously unused area!

The client really needed to capture any and all available space for kitchen function and additional storage.  Masters Touch Design Build had to deal with the existing too-narrow passageway within the kitchen, leading to the back hall.  This clearance was narrower than the code requirement, so it looked like this section would end up being just a left-hand wall, with at most, shallow wall shelving installed there.

First, we broke into the wall and found a hollow space that didn’t hold a pipe or other needed internal part – we were very lucky! So, we gained 5” – not enough, but closer to a passable clearance!  Then, we reduced the depths of the cabinetry we wanted to install there.  This gave us the necessary clearance we needed to pass the inspection!  The cabinetry on the left side is shallower than normal, but everything still functions and the additional storage is vital!  We also moved the fridge towards the front of the room (and we specified a counter depth model) which resulted in a much better flow through the kitchen.  This kitchen is now twice as efficient as the original.

The original half wall and L-shaped countertop dividing the kitchen and dining area was useless to the clients; they used the dining table next to the kitchen instead.  They really wanted that left wall space of the “L” incorporated into usable cabinets and counters. We removed the half-wall and L-Shaped countertop and then carefully redesigned the space along that wall to maximize function and integrate with the rest of the kitchen (including moving the washer to a better location).

Natick Kitchen Remodel Before
Before: view to the left side. The L-shaped counter and wall in the foreground (under the clock) was wasted space. The empty hole is where the fridge was (that fridge was 8” deeper than the space and hung out in the middle of the room). The drawers beyond: this is the area where the narrow 22” clearance leading to the back hall started.
Natick Kitchen Remodel
After: much better! The wider, acceptable passageway can be seen here, in the rear area. Style: instead of white painted cabinets which was the client’s first choice, we selected a dark, espresso stained maple which gave us the look of paint without the additional cost and we used the white in the countertop, creating a sleek contrast that added to the Transitional styling the client wanted.
Natick Kitchen Remodel
A closer look at the finishes.

The dark espresso cabinets, contrasting with the white Dekton countertops and fresh white subway tile at the backsplash, plus the clean, brushed nickel hardware gave us that updated, more contemporary feel we were after. And, because we worked hard to cut back on other upgrades on materials and cabinet interior upgrades, we managed to meet that tight budget!