After relocating from Chicago to Massachusetts, our clients purchased a spacious colonial that appeared perfect for their family of four. The home featured a large main kitchen and a second, fully built-out kitchen addition by the previous owners. However, once settled, the homeowners quickly realized the space lacked functional storage, a logical layout, and efficient flow for cooking and entertaining. More concerning, they discovered shoddy workmanship and a persistent odor coming from the second kitchen.
The homeowners envisioned an open-concept layout that felt bright, clean, and rooted in their Scandinavian design sensibilities. Drawing inspiration from their Swedish heritage, we embraced a minimalistic approach focused on decluttered spaces, simple lines, and seamless integration of beauty and function. To create the desired open concept living, dining, and kitchen area, we engineered and installed a 14-foot steel beam to support the complex roof structure, allowing for unobstructed flow between rooms.
Investigating the second kitchen revealed major structural and safety issues. The space had been poorly renovated without permits, resulting in faulty wiring, inadequate ventilation, rotten framing, and insulation infested with pests. We stripped the space down to its bones, rebuilt the exterior wall, reworked the crawl space joists, added proper insulation, and fully rewired the room—ensuring a safe, sound foundation for the new layout.
While the footprint was generous, it was underutilized. By building a new wall in the second kitchen and relocating the main kitchen peninsula, we created two distinct and purposeful spaces: a walk-in pantry with its own sink and dishwasher, and a wine room with custom cabinetry, wine and beverage refrigeration towers, and easy access from the dining area.
Because the clients love to cook—often using high heat—we recommended Dekton, an ultracompact countertops for their durability, heat resistance, and low maintenance. It was the perfect match for a kitchen built for both performance and style.
To reflect the Scandinavian “hygge” lifestyle—centered on comfort, light, and connection—we selected a calming palette of soft grays, whites, and muted blues. Materials included light natural maple cabinetry with flat-panel shaker doors, white-gray marble-look porcelain tile flooring, subtle subway tiles, and pale Dekton surfaces that contribute to the clean, airy aesthetic.
The result is a warm, inviting space that reflects the homeowners’ lifestyle and heritage—functional, fresh, and thoughtfully designed for the way they live.
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