After: Period-Conscious Style
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Fool around with an heirloom and you risk losing what makes it so pleasingly familiar. So when Jared and Grace Pyka bought her grandmother's ranch house, in Georgetown, Texas, they aimed to save its period grasscloth wall covering and some furniture. But the kitchen was awkward and outmoded. "The layout was really inconvenient," says Grace. "To put groceries in the pantry, you had to squeeze next to the water heater, and if you turned around you'd knock over cans."
Shown: The peninsula moved, making room for more storage and prep space. Ceiling-height painted cabinets, an apron sink, and salvaged floorboards give the room a fresh yet period-conscious style.
Before: New Windows, Outdated Room
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After a facade-lift yielded new windows, architect J. Bryant Boyd worked to open up and make better use of the space. He added new plumbing and wiring, a wider opening to the dining room, and pantry cabinets for all those cans, then flipped the peninsula and angled it so that it now serves both the kitchen and the dining room. Tongue-and-groove paneling gives the walls a vintage flavor, while pale-blue flat-panel cabinets with sleek hardware reinforce the updated-traditional look. "We were sad to see my grandmother's cabinets go," says Grace—but not forever. Her mom, a new grandmother herself, scooped up the doors and made them into an heirloom chest.
Shown: A wall of new windows had put the rest of the dated space to shame.
Light and Spacious
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The angled peninsula and display cabinet enhance the sense of spaciousness.
Sink: Barclay
Faucet: Moen
Refrigerator: Maytag
Dishwasher: KitchenAid
Pendant light: Minka-Lavery
Barstools: Garden Ridge
Light-Filled Prep Space
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The small replacement window on the west-facing wall made way for extra storage and prep space while curbing the late-afternoon Texas sun.
Window: Jeld-Wen Windows and Doors
Hidden Water Heater
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Faux cabinet doors hide a dedicated area for the water heater, formerly jammed into a closet shared with the pantry. There's even room for a new water softener as well.
Slide-Out Spice Storage
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Spices slide out next to the new gas range. Salvaged oak floorboards blend seamlessly with the original flooring in the dining room.
Range and microwave: Whirlpool
Flooring: Kingdom Hardwood Floors
Consistent, Stylish Paneling
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The appliance garage is lined with the same tongue-and-groove paneling used on the adjacent wall.
Cabinets: K&M Cabinets
Cabinet paint: Sherwin-Williams
Countertops: Silestone
TV in, (or out of), Sight
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The TV is situated for easy viewing from the breakfast bar and disappears behind flipper doors during parties. The cabinet box below it was designed to hold a larger fridge, which is still in the works.
Flat-screen TV: LG
Floor Plan Before: Awkward and Cramped
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Meal prep was confined to a cramped area framed by the stubby peninsula and the awkward utility-pantry closet.
Homeowner Tip: "Our two-tier peninsula is great during parties. We set out drinks and appetizers on the raised breakfast bar and use the counter to line up plates and platters for the main course." —Grace Pyka, Georgetown, Texas
Floor Plan After: Angled Function
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Moving the peninsula, reworking the closet and cabinets, eliminating a doorway, and shrinking a side window made the layout fully functional.
1. Replaced the sink with a larger one centered under the windows.
2. Removed the original peninsula and installed a smaller window, to fit in more upper and lower cabinets.
3. Rebuilt the wall to create a wide opening to the dining room.
4. Swapped spots for the fridge and the range to create a cooking zone with ample prep space.
5. Angled the peninsula and corner display cabinet to make them focal points from the dining room and back entrance.
6. Reframed the utility closet and moved its door away from the cooking area, allowing for the new peninsula. The new pantry wall eliminated a door and gave 3 feet to an adjacent bedroom for a walk-in closet.