DECEMBER 2010 Decadent décor ideas from IDSwest Refreshing ideas for any dated bathroom Jaw-dropping furniture from Mother Earth Gifts that are just a little out of the ordinary DISTINCTIVE DESIGN, LOCALLY SOURCED TRANSFORMING A BIG ROOM INTO A GREAT ROOM PM40069240 HOMEMAKEOVERMAGAZINE.CA
KITCHEN MAKEOVER Ain t it Transforming a big room into a great room grand? By Noa Glouberman The 12,000-square-foot South Surrey house was certainly large, but it didn t feel grand. There was so much space in the kitchen, but it was built very minimally and the details weren t right, said interior designer Tom Bakker. The homeowners agreed. Bakker, who grew up above his parents drapery and furniture shop in Holland, likens a room that doesn t work from a design perspective to a painting hung askew on a wall. I always get the urge to straighten out that crooked frame, he explained. Once you make things right in a room, you no longer respond to it subconsciously in a negative way. It just makes you feel good to be there. One of the first off-kilter details Bakker corrected in the 880-square-foot kitchen was a supporting column in the centre of the room. It was an architectural element that was in the way flawed, wrong, not supposed to be there, he said. It wasn t possible to physically remove it, so I had to make it work. I put a second column beside it and created a TV cabinet in-between, so the whole structural component went away no one would ever know it was there. With a pair of back-to-back flat-screens that, with the touch of a button, rise from and lower into an installation from Hi-Design Custom Cabinetry, the partition effectively divides the room without cutting off the sitting area with its elegant fireplace and wraparound shelving from the rest of the kitchen. Before 12 HOME MAKEOVER DECEMBER 2010
Having two islands works well in this space; with one for seating and the other for cooking, people can take part in the meal from start to finish without being in the way, and the cook doesn t miss out on anything, either. Tom Bakker After photo: Dominic Schaefer; Staging: Epic Empire Designs; Décor items: Flüff Rentals HOME MAKEOVER DECEMBER 2010 13
KITCHEN MAKEOVER A structural column was hidden with the addition of a second column and a TV cabinet in-between. Before Functionally, it allows people to retire after a meal and still be part of things, Bakker explained. This is the kind of harmony I look for with interior design so that the emotional response to it is right. In fact, creating distinct areas for cooking, eating, entertaining and relaxing without disturbing the overall unity or flow of the room was the driving principle behind the entire kitchen renovation. We worked through six or seven different concepts before settling on the final design, Bakker said. Our decision in the end... was to fill the room with large pieces to give a sense of intimacy and to incorporate oversized traffic areas to create space and make entertaining easy. Cooking occurs at the far end of the kitchen, which houses a Sub-Zero refrigerator and freezer; Wolf-brand stainless-steel stove, wall oven and warming drawer; and Miele coffee maker and food steamer. Food prep is rounded out by dual islands, the larger of which includes a Wolf microwave drawer, KitchenAid dishwasher and Elkay stainless-steel sink, as well as plenty of storage and well-lit bianco andromeda granite countertop space. The second, smaller island, complete with stools, sits closer to the kitchen s two hallway entrances and adjacent to the bar, which includes an automatic liquor dispenser and Elkay sink. Having two islands works really well in this space; with one for seating and the other for cooking, people can take part in the meal from start to finish without being in the way, and the cook doesn t miss out on anything, either, he explained. They re both The quality of their work was Impeccable. They re outstanding. I would recommend them to anybody. Shelley & Mike, Port Moody We love our new BBQ island and gorgeous new garden. We ve achieved the WOW factor we had hoped for. Thank you so much for your vision, creativity, flexibility and hard work. We truly appreciate it and will think of you often when we enjoy our BBQ. Steve & Joanne, Maple Ridge Jovak Landscape & Design Ltd Visit our website at www.jovaklandscape.com phone: 604.835.2850 email: info@jovaklandscape.com 14 HOME MAKEOVER DECEMBER 2010 After photo: Stephen Cridland
Before strategically placed, with one closer to the bar and the other by the stove. To ensure the islands weren t lost in the massive space, a custom-made ceiling drop, stained in a dark finish, was added above both countertopstying the furnishings below together. Finally, Bakker turned his attention to the dining area an informal breakfast nook that leads out to an expansive deck. We built that area up around a beautiful wooden table provided by the homeowners, he said. Originally there were only windows there so we transformed three of them into a [NanaWall] panel door to create a beautiful indooroutdoor living space. Sitting at that table after the renovation was complete, Bakker felt he had accomplished what he set out to do: It took a lot of work to get the kitchen to the point we wanted it, fitting like a glove... but it was a very exciting process. When a house, especially a kitchen, is designed right it will nourish you. It s the most social area of the home, where people congregate and socialize. No wonder it s referred to as the great room. It should, justifiably, look and feel truly grand. Photos: (top left) Stephen Cridland; (bottom) Dominic Schaefer The kitchen s new bar features an Elkay sink (below) and an automatic liquor dispenser. Resources BL Innovative Lighting, www.bllighting.com, 604-874-4405, Dmk Stone Products Ltd., 604-232-4442 Hi-Design Custom Cabinetry, www.hidesigncabinetry.com, 604-946-8183 NanaWall Systems Inc., www.nanawall.com, 800-873-5673, Tom Bakker Design, www.tombakker.ca, 604-542-1045 D Peter Cox, client Susanne Doise HOME MAKEOVER DECEMBER 2010 15