Inside Houzz
See the Results: The Houzz/Lowe’s Dream Kitchen Sweepstakes
An interior designer and products from Lowe’s help this homeowner fulfill a kitchen dream
Homeowner Bonnie Wiebers had never entered a contest before, but when she hopped on Houzz to research renovating the home she’d just bought, she entered the Houzz/Lowe’s Dream Kitchen Sweepstakes on a whim. “I was in denial that I’d won for about the first three months!” she says. Working with interior designer Kimberlee Stockwell-Braasch of Kimberlee Designs and contractor Scott Schaeperkoetter of Signature Homes was part of the prize. Stockwell-Braasch and Schaeperkoetter helped Wiebers achieve her vision for a kitchen that could truly serve as the heart of her home. “It wasn’t really real until we were almost done,” Wiebers says.
AFTER: The renovation provided a full wall to install the range, microwave and refrigerator, creating a work triangle complete with a new island. The island’s orientation and shape creates better traffic flow.
Wiebers loved the idea of fresh white paint on the cabinets, as she found that trends in wood varieties tend to change, and the wood ends up looking dated. She brought in brown tones on the walls instead. “Bonnie came up with the chocolate for the walls, and it really balances out all the cabinets and sets them apart,” Stockwell-Braasch says. The duo then searched for the right granite and coordinating backsplash. “It’s really important to look at the whole slab of granite, not just a sample,” the designer advises.
Bar stools: Low Country 24-inch counter stools in Linen Sand/Suntan Bronze: Liberty Furniture; Gallery 26-cubic-foot side-by-side refrigerator with single ice maker in stainless steel: Frigidaire; Dayton Radiant Satin double-basin stainless steel undermount residential kitchen sink: Elkay. All listed products in the project are from Lowe’s.
Wiebers loved the idea of fresh white paint on the cabinets, as she found that trends in wood varieties tend to change, and the wood ends up looking dated. She brought in brown tones on the walls instead. “Bonnie came up with the chocolate for the walls, and it really balances out all the cabinets and sets them apart,” Stockwell-Braasch says. The duo then searched for the right granite and coordinating backsplash. “It’s really important to look at the whole slab of granite, not just a sample,” the designer advises.
Bar stools: Low Country 24-inch counter stools in Linen Sand/Suntan Bronze: Liberty Furniture; Gallery 26-cubic-foot side-by-side refrigerator with single ice maker in stainless steel: Frigidaire; Dayton Radiant Satin double-basin stainless steel undermount residential kitchen sink: Elkay. All listed products in the project are from Lowe’s.
“I have five grown children, and I love to be working in the kitchen when everyone is around. I don’t want to miss the conversation,” Wiebers says.
Thus, “an island was a must,” Stockwell-Braasch says. Wiebers’ work area is on one side, while visitors can gather on the other. She added a curve to personalize it and add interest. The shape also plays off the arches in the cabinet door profiles.
A second sink installed in the island is helpful for food prep. “This shortens the work triangle. She can take items right out of the refrigerator and rinse and chop them on the island,” the designer says. The counter space around the kitchen is for extended prep space and cleanup.
Granite: Venetian Pearl with eased edge; wall paint: Coffee Date, Valspar
Thus, “an island was a must,” Stockwell-Braasch says. Wiebers’ work area is on one side, while visitors can gather on the other. She added a curve to personalize it and add interest. The shape also plays off the arches in the cabinet door profiles.
A second sink installed in the island is helpful for food prep. “This shortens the work triangle. She can take items right out of the refrigerator and rinse and chop them on the island,” the designer says. The counter space around the kitchen is for extended prep space and cleanup.
Granite: Venetian Pearl with eased edge; wall paint: Coffee Date, Valspar
“We kept the dishwasher out of the main triangle,” Stockwell-Braasch says. “This way one person can be on cleanup with the dishwasher door open while the other works with food, and they won’t get in each other’s way.” Garbage and recycling bins sit to the right of the sink.
Tall pantry cabinets fill the far corner.
Cabinets: Winchester in Silk, Shenandoah; Gallery 52-decibel built-in dishwasher with hard food disposer: Frigidaire; Aged Bronze bar cabinet pulls and round cabinet knobs: allen + roth
Tall pantry cabinets fill the far corner.
Cabinets: Winchester in Silk, Shenandoah; Gallery 52-decibel built-in dishwasher with hard food disposer: Frigidaire; Aged Bronze bar cabinet pulls and round cabinet knobs: allen + roth
The island is composed of two 30-inch cabinets, centered on the windows over the sink. Wiebers loves symmetry, so Stockwell-Braasch made the windows a focal point. She then balanced the cabinets around them, with the uppers flanking them extending at the same height, and the cabinets beyond those extending to another higher point.
Island cabinetry: Winchester in Java Cherry, Shenandoah; island sink: Dayton 18¼-inch-by-16½-inch Radiant Satin single-basin stainless steel undermount, Elkay; Portfolio 17¼-inch-wide bronze gold pendant lights with marbleized glass shade.
Island cabinetry: Winchester in Java Cherry, Shenandoah; island sink: Dayton 18¼-inch-by-16½-inch Radiant Satin single-basin stainless steel undermount, Elkay; Portfolio 17¼-inch-wide bronze gold pendant lights with marbleized glass shade.
A second focal point is the range, which has a mantel for a more furniture-like look.
The pair worked together to come up with simple ways to make working in the kitchen as efficient as possible. For example, Stockwell-Braasch designated a drawer next to the refrigerator for aluminum foil, cling wrap and baggies for when Wiebers packs up food to put away. The island stores all of the cutting boards, and there’s a catchall drawer for keeping paper, pens and other odds and ends within easy reach. “The drawers are much easier to work with than cabinet doors, which tend to waste a lot of space,” Wiebers says.
The pair worked together to come up with simple ways to make working in the kitchen as efficient as possible. For example, Stockwell-Braasch designated a drawer next to the refrigerator for aluminum foil, cling wrap and baggies for when Wiebers packs up food to put away. The island stores all of the cutting boards, and there’s a catchall drawer for keeping paper, pens and other odds and ends within easy reach. “The drawers are much easier to work with than cabinet doors, which tend to waste a lot of space,” Wiebers says.
Wiebers is still searching for just the right accent for above the range. In the meantime, Stockwell-Braasch crated a decorative diamond from ceramic tiles that look like metal. “Anyone can do this; I used a tile adhesive to affix them temporarily,” she says.
Gallery smooth surface free-standing 5-element 5.8-cubic-foot self-cleaning convection electric range in stainless steel: Frigidaire; 1.1-cubic-foot, 1,100-watt countertop microwave: Frigidaire
Gallery smooth surface free-standing 5-element 5.8-cubic-foot self-cleaning convection electric range in stainless steel: Frigidaire; 1.1-cubic-foot, 1,100-watt countertop microwave: Frigidaire
Stockwell-Braasch tucked fluorescent light bars under the upper cabinets, which provide great light to the countertops.
12.62-inch hardwired or plug-in undercabinet fluorescent light bar: Utilitech
12.62-inch hardwired or plug-in undercabinet fluorescent light bar: Utilitech
When it came time to dress the window, Stockwell-Braasch used her many years of watching her drapery installer. She took a regular drapery panel and pleated and draped it using tiebacks, no seamstress necessary. She created another matching window treatment in the adjacent breakfast room.
Sienna Bronze curtain holdbacks: allen + roth; Callendale 84-inch-long light filtering geometric green rod pocket window curtain panels: allen + roth
Sienna Bronze curtain holdbacks: allen + roth; Callendale 84-inch-long light filtering geometric green rod pocket window curtain panels: allen + roth
“One of the things we splurged on was a really nice faucet,” Stockwell-Braasch says. “It’s so worthwhile to invest in a good faucet. It can make life so much easier.”
Crackled linear Latte glazed porcelain mosaic subway indoor-outdoor wall tile: Elida Ceramica; Savile Venetian Bronze 1-handle pull-down kitchen faucet: Delta
Crackled linear Latte glazed porcelain mosaic subway indoor-outdoor wall tile: Elida Ceramica; Savile Venetian Bronze 1-handle pull-down kitchen faucet: Delta
The kitchen, as mentioned, is open to a breakfast room. The designer carried the colors and the window treatment fabric into that space. Wiebers already owned the baker’s rack that they placed right next to the entry to the breakfast room (see sixth image above). It serves as wine and stemware storage and a wine bar.
Flooring: Style Selections 5-inch-wide prefinished hickory locking hardwood flooring in Rawhide
Flooring: Style Selections 5-inch-wide prefinished hickory locking hardwood flooring in Rawhide
Here are Wiebers, left, and Stockwell-Braasch after all of the work was done. “Every time I’m standing in the kitchen, I think, ‘This is a dream,’” Wiebers says.
Interior designer and stager: Kimberlee Stockwell-Braasch, Kimberlee Designs
Contractor: Scott Schaeperkoetter, Signature Homes, Inc.
Photographer: Randy Henderson, Henderson Images
Interior designer and stager: Kimberlee Stockwell-Braasch, Kimberlee Designs
Contractor: Scott Schaeperkoetter, Signature Homes, Inc.
Photographer: Randy Henderson, Henderson Images
Who lives here: Bonnie Wiebers, who had just bought the house and was already embarking on renovations to fix a leaky roof and other issues.
Location: Lake Ozark, Missouri
Size: Kitchen: 192 square feet; breakfast room: 156 square feet
BEFORE: A new roof was part of the major improvements that Wiebers was taking care of at the same time, so the team was able to raise this odd ceiling during the kitchen renovation. Just beyond the odd refrigerator surround, a hallway led straight to the front door. “You could see straight into the kitchen from the front door, and it was awkward,” Stockwell-Braasch says. “With the renovations, we were able to close off that view and give her a better entryway.”