Clever Design Transforms a Trouble Space into a Spacious Contemporary Kitchen

Having designed thousands of kitchens has given award winning kitchen designer Jennifer Gilmer the insight and experience to tackle even the most daunting of kitchen design projects. Jennifer describes the design challenges and the solutions she and her design team used to create an amazing kitchen from what had previously been an awkward space (after photo shown below).

Jennifer Gilmer: The existing kitchen in this project was all wrong for the space.  It was jammed in the far corner where the breakfast table is now and a run of cabinets were on the left wall.  The table was placed where the box bay is now.  With those high cathedral ceilings, the entire existing space was totally out of proportion.  We decided that the best way to rearrange the kitchen was to move it to the center of the room, make a larger window with a box bay and to move the table at the end of the kitchen.

Downdraft cook top, cabinets and island.

Box bay, cabinets, sink and island.

Jennifer Gilmer:  The kitchen was not quite wide enough for the island, so, by putting in the box bay, it allowed us to push the cabinetry into that space giving just enough room for the island.  In order to get enough wall cabinets, we placed the downdraft cook top in front of the large window, this way, we could run the wall cabinets right over the main sink (if the cook top was on that wall, we’d have to raise the cabinets up too high).  Since getting to the cook top from the main sink was blocked by the island, the solution to this was to place a smaller prep sink on the island near the cook top. 

On the main sink wall, we needed to place the refrigerator, but, a large 36" one would have taken up too much space.  To resolve this, we used a 27" wide Sub Zero all refrigerator and then on the opposite side, we put under counter Sub Zero freezer drawers. 

Jennifer Gilmer:  In order to get pantry space, we placed a pantry above the freezer drawers which matched in appearance the all refrigerator.  To eliminate that awkward space above the wall cabinet which occurs because of the cathedral ceilings, we put laminated glass wall cabinets there with angled backs which raised the cabinet height to be more in proportion with the high ceilings.  The lighting inside these cabinets helps to create a nice ambiance. 

For the general space, we widened the doorway going into the kitchen from the foyer and filled in part of the cathedral ceilings in both the foyer and the kitchen which made the kitchen space more open, yet, more in proportion.  Lighting had to be dealt with since recessed lights would have been fairly ineffective, so, we used cable lighting to span the large ceiling spaces.

About Jennifer Gilmer

Jennifer Gilmer, CKD, is nationally renowned for her work in kitchen design. Over the past 25 years, Gilmer has designed more than 1,000 custom kitchens. Her award-winning designs span the spectrum from classic and traditional to sleek and contemporary.

She has won more than 15 national design awards for her work including the 2009 “Pinnacle of Design Award” from the National Kitchen & Bath Association (NKBA), which is awarded to the designer of the year’s best overall design. She also swept two other categories.

Gilmer founded Jennifer Gilmer Kitchen & Bath in 2007. She previously was co-owner of Kitchen & Bath Studios in Chevy Chase, Maryland and also worked for 8 years with designer Richard Tunis.

In 2009, she launched KitchenDesignOnLine.net to serve a void in the marketplace – bridging the gap between high-end showrooms and the big box retailer. The online studio helps the homeowner, builder or architect achieve the best design by providing a full range of services, from floor plans and detailed elevations to 3D perspective images. With KDOL, a homeowner can get a custom design from a certified kitchen designer in two weeks for well under $1,000.

Her design and remodeling awards include: 2009 Southern Living Home Award – first place kitchen, 2009 “Pinnacle of Design” award  from NKBA, First place for Small Kitchens (2009, NKBA), First place for Medium Kitchens (2009, NKBA), Remodeling Design Award (2009, Remodeling), First place Regional Winner (2008, Sub Zero/Wolf Design),  First Place Classic Kitchen (2008, Washington Spaces), First Place Contemporary Kitchen (2008, Washington Spaces), First Place Medium Kitchens (2007, NKBA), Second Place Small Kitchens (2006, NKBA), and First Place Medium Kitchens (2003, NKBA).

She and her work have been featured in media that include Veranda, The Washington Post, HGTV, Women’s Day Kitchens & Baths, Southern Living, Remodeling, Home & Design, Washington Spaces, and Kitchen Trends.

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Georgetown Kitchen Design Remodel by Jennifer Gilmer

According to Jennifer Gilmer, award winning kitchen designer and principal of Jennifer Gilmer Kitchen & Bath in Chevy Chase, Maryland, “designing a kitchen [in Georgetown] can be a challenge due to a lack of space or poor original overall floor plans.”  A quick look at the redesigned kitchen (photos below) one can see that Jennifer was up to the design challenge posed by the long and narrow kitchen space of this classic Georgetown row house.

Jennifer’s client required that the new kitchen accommodate some typical kitchen appliances (range, microwave, refrigerator) as well as “a second oven, ice machine, wine cooler, prep sink, large hood, eating area and a desk.” Her client also wanted the option to close off the kitchen from the dining room yet keep the kitchen feeling light and open.

Jennifer details her design process for us:

Jennifer optimized the narrow space adding a writing desk at the far end of the kitchen and a built-in eating area that easily accommodates seating for three.	Jennifer’s design allowed artificial and natural light to flow throughout the kitchen via the addition of a tall, narrow pass through (by the sink) and a large window looking out to the client’s garden.

Jennifer Gilmer:  We left a tall narrow pass through to the left of the sink in order to maintain a more open feel and to allow light to come through.  The existing window was too small because this is where a lot of light comes in (a precious commodity in a row house) and because it overlooks her patio and garden.  We replaced this window with a much wider and taller three paneled casement where the main sink is centered.  Where there was a door which interfered with the kitchen design, we put a narrower window in, and, it’s near this window that we placed the built in eating area, large enough to accommodate three chairs.

Jennifer added pocket doors from the kitchen to dining room. Creating an open airy kitchen while allowing the client to close off the kitchen, if so desired.	The pullout pantry optimizes space while providing additional functionality. Adjacent to the pantry is the Sub Zero refrigerator.	To the right of the refrigerator and pull-out pantry is the client’s writing desk.

Jennifer Gilmer:  The space still needed some work by building a wall to separate the living room and dining room from the kitchen, but, in order to keep it feeling open, the doorway from the kitchen to the dining room had to remain wide and high.  Because she [the client] wanted to have the option of closing off the kitchen from the dining room, we added large pocket doors in that wall (a classic design element in Georgetown row houses).

On the opposite wall when coming into the kitchen, to the right is a built in "hutch" for additional storage and to serve the dining room.  We placed her desk in the corner and then to the left of this, the Sub Zero refrigerator, combined with a narrow pullout pantry looks like an old fashioned armoire which is easily viewed from the dining room.

Built-in microwave and stove.	Focal point created by centered range & hood.

Jennifer Gilmer: The ice machine is just to the left of the refrigerator, making it easy to get ice when preparing a beverage, and, the wine cooler and small sink is there too in order to create a wet bar when needed.  At the other end of this wall, we combined the oven cabinet and microwave with some open shelves and appliance garage for her toaster.

Finally, the range and hood are centered between the refrigerator and the oven cabinets for a gorgeous focal point complimented by carved wood and open areas for display items.  An antique fireplace summer cover was used under the hood to add more character and to blend with the carvings.  Three cabinet finishes were used to add interest and intrigue and we found the perfect granite countertop to blend it all together.

About Jennifer Gilmer

Jennifer Gilmer, CKD, is an award-winning expert on kitchen design. She has won more than 15 national awards for her work including this year’s “Pinnacle of Design” award for the best overall design in 2009 and swept two other categories from the National Kitchen & Bath Association. She has created designs for more than 1,000 kitchens in styles that range from classic to contemporary.

Her work has been featured on TLC, in The Washington Post, Veranda, Trends, Washington Spaces, Home & Design, Southern Living, Remodeling and more.  She is the principal of Jennifer Gilmer Kitchen & Bath in Chevy Chase, Maryland and in 2009 launched KitchenDesignOnLine.net to bridge the gap between high-end showrooms and home improvement stores.

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Contemporary, Eco-Friendly Kitchen Design by Jennifer Gilmer

Jennifer Gilmer, renowned kitchen designer and 2009 National Kitchen and Bath design winner, designed the stunning, Zen-like 276 square foot Bethesda, Maryland contemporary styled,eco-friendly kitchen pictured above.  Jennifer’s kitchen “Green” design focused on the usage of sustainable and environmentally friendly materials ranging from the custom mixed stain to the cabinetry. 

The Columbia Forest Products’ PureBond hardwood plywood used in this kitchen design project is manufactured utilizing:

… a formaldehyde-free adhesive derived from food-grade soy flour and a wet strength resin used in printed currency and milk cartons. This proprietary assembly system, known as PureBond®, is non-toxic and cost-competitive with urea formaldehyde based plywood products. There is absolutely no added urea formaldehyde in the adhesive or the components. (source Columbia Forest Products)

Jennifer used ML Campbell’s Aqualente finish which is a:

GREENGUARD Certified, low VOC, non-yellowing, self-sealing, easy sanding, pre-catalyzed water borne clear coating for interior wood surfaces. Agualente lacquer is based on breakthrough European resin technology that produces no hazardous off-gassing during cure. Its new technology provides trouble-free application as well as a beautiful appearance, mirroring its solvent-based counterpart. (source ML Campbell)

The other Green kitchen design products and services used for this project:

• The solid wood is domestic black walnut.
• The stain was custom mixed, using AFM  Safecoat DuroStain.
• The cabinet’s were created by cabinetmakers – Andrew Daum / Victory Woodworking of Canaan, New Hampshire.

About Jennifer Gilmer

Jennifer Gilmer, CKD, is an award-winning expert on kitchen design. She has won more than 15 national awards for her work including this year’s “Pinnacle of Design” award for the best overall design in 2009 and swept two other categories from the National Kitchen & Bath Association. She has created designs for more than 1,000 kitchens in styles that range from classic to contemporary. 

Her work has been featured on TLC, in The Washington Post, Veranda, Trends, Washington Spaces, Home & Design, Southern Living, Remodeling and more.  She is the principal of Jennifer Gilmer Kitchen & Bath in Chevy Chase, Maryland and in 2009 launched KitchenDesignOnLine.net to bridge the gap between high-end showrooms and home improvement stores.

In the 2007 Solar Decathlon competition sponsored by the U.S. Department of Energy, Gilmer served as a mentor to LEAFHouse, which placed second in the world. The Solar Decathlon is an unparalleled biannual competition of 20 university student teams to design, build, and operate the most attractive and energy-efficient solar-powered net zero energy home. In 2007, the “LEAFHouse” team from the University of Maryland placed first among the 17 U.S. teams and in 2009 received an Washingtonian/AIA Award for Distinctive Architecture.

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