Skokie Contemporary Kitchen Remodel

Job Summary: 

This homeowner was ready for a complete contemporary Skokie kitchen make-over. In fact, the entire home was renovated to bring it into the 21st century, complete with an updated looks and appliances. The home's accents accents and finishes, selected by the previous homeowners, were dark and dated. Now, the aesthetic is decidedly fresh, light and bright - in addition to being sleek and hip.

Cabinetry Style: 

For a contemporary or modern look, frameless cabinets are the way to go. We installed frameless, fully-custom Grabill cabinetry in a slab door style. The doors have a square edge that is slightly softened to eliminate sharp edges. 

Cabinet Finish: 

Cabinets were finished with a Glacier White high buff lacquered finish. The homeowners chose stainless steel upper-cabinets with clear glass door inserts to complement the cabinetry below. Framing on the stainless steel doors is very minimal – about as small as you can get. The interior of the stainless cabinets are mirrored backwalls, which help to reflect light and perpetuate that airy and spacious feeling. The glass shelving in these cabinets, combined with puck lights, really set off and display glassware nicely and adds character to the room.

Countertops: 

We installed a Statuario marble throughout with an eased edge detail and matching, full-height backsplashes. Marble is always a luxurious upgrade but should be sealed annually when installed in a kitchen to prevent staining or etching from daily wear-and-tear.

Backsplash: The full-height splash provides a continuous look. It's also easier to clean and maintain when compared with tile, which requires porous grout that is more susceptible to staining.

Lighting:

For task lighting, we installed 5-inch Juno cans with white trim to blend in with the ceiling.  These are all installed on dimmer switches. In addition to the LED lighting in the cans there also is LED undercabinet lighting throughout, which supplements task lighting and also adds ambiance or soft nightlighting. Even the puck lights in the glass cabinets are LED.

Appliances & Accents:

The owners chose a 36-inch stainless steel Best Hood with a 36-inch drop-in Wolf gas cooktop. The GE Spacemaker microwave with a customized trim kit was installed in the drywall niche alongside the cooktop. A Miele dishwasher was fully-integrated with a custom cabinet panel. This kitchen benefits from two sinks - one in the island and one under the sink looking into the backyard. Both have Grohe faucets with brushed nickel finishes.