2016 Remodeling Excellence Award
Kitchen Remodel Highlights the Natural Elements with Sophistication
This kitchen brings together a variety of natural elements, connecting them in a way that highlights their respective beauty; creating a harmonious and sophisticated kitchen that is worthy of its award winning accolades. Created by Normandy Designer Liz Reifschneider, this kitchen has a sleek and soothing look without feeling sterile. On the contrary, the white painted cabinetry and simple lines throughout act as a blank canvas that highlights the individual elements within the kitchen, letting their natural beauty shine through.
The first element you’ll notice in this space is abundance of sunlight in the room which makes it feel spacious and welcoming. Natural light permeates the room, helped along by a lack of upper cabinets around the window that would potentially stifle the light. The sconces that flank the sink add to the sophisticated look of the kitchen, in addition to providing additional light in the evenings. “The original kitchen was also a bit smaller than the family would have liked, so we created a small addition to enlarge the room, but maintained a broad expanse of windows above the sink,” noted Liz. “The addition allowed us to trade-in their peninsula for an island, which gives the room a more open feeling overall.”
A Full height honed marble backsplash features the soft veining and movement that’s characteristic of the stone. The same marble continues to the kitchen counters to create continuity in the space. Pop-up outlets are concealed in the countertops to avoid disrupting the look of the backsplash tile.
The tall cabinet provides storage for everyday plates and glasses, while much of the family’s food storage can be found in the nearby pantry. The separate pantry closet provides ample food storage for this kitchen, and is easily accessed by the sliding wooden barn door. The rustic texture of the wood, which can also be found in the kitchen table, 
serves as a counterpoint to smooth finish of the snow white cabinets.
The metal hood may be the largest and most obvious statement piece in this kitchen, and with good reason. “Thanks to the addition, we were able to not only increase the family’s space for refrigeration, but we were able to enlarge the range too,” shared Liz. “The larger, professional style range requires equally powerful ventilation, and this metal hood was custom designed and crafted, just for this kitchen.” The hood features matte and polished finishes, along with details such as rivets and banding to give it dimension without too much detail.
This kitchen’s combination of natural emphasis and sleek sophistication earned it a Remodeling Excellence Award by the National Association of the Remodeling Industry (NARI) Greater Chicagoland.
Set up a time to meet with Liz to get started on your beautiful new kitchen, or register to attend an upcoming seminar to learn more about the remodeling process. You can also follow Normandy Remodeling on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram for more award-winning design ideas.
