Posts from the ‘Kitchens’ Category

Oct 3

Client’s Eye View: Donna and Bill’s Compact and Classic Kitchen

Reversing the damage of a poorly considered ’80s remodel and packing a compact kitchen with storage without making the space feel cluttered were two important goals of this recently completed Arciform kitchen remodel. But don’t take our word for it. We recently interviewed the homeowners to get a “client’s eye view” of their kitchen renovation experience.

What were your goals for this renovation?

We had several goals. All were equally important to us. We badly needed an update of the large appliances. There were electrical needs. We had only 3 outlets and two overhead lights – one over the sink and one in the center of the room. The room looked like Macy’s kitchen department. With no storage for small appliances, the counter space was used for the toaster, the mixer, and so on. My spices were stored in 3 different places. We needed more counter space. The house was built in 1916, so we wanted the design to reflect the look of the rest of the house.

Here’s a peek at the kitchen before the remodel.

What were your concerns going into the remodeling process?

We chose Arciform after some thoughtful research. We hoped Arciform COULD DELIVER. We loved their ideas and their willingness to partner with us to make the kitchen happen. They did deliver.

What did you learn during the process?

The design is the key. Arciform worked with us to design every inch of the project. We revisited the design over and over. Arciform made what WE wanted and needed an essential part of the design process. As the design evolved, we learned about materials, costs and even construction.

What are your favorite elements of the completed kitchen and why?

I LOVE how it reflects the period in which the house was built. This makes it a better house.

The lighting is great! I can see when I cook. I have counter lighting as well as 4 ceiling lights.

Using small appliances isn’t a task anymore. There are outlets everywhere.

My spices are all in one drawer and easy to see.

Because I have an appliance barn, the Macy kitchen department look is gone, and I have lots more counter space.

The large appliances are “state of the art.” They are more efficient, more quiet, more dependable and really fun to use.

Tell us about your experience of working with Arciform.

Our working relationship with Arciform was great. From the estimate to the finished job, there were no surprises. I think their strong suit is communication. They stayed in touch by text and email, informing us of even small changes in the schedule. All the personnel are excellent people – smart, thoughtful and skilled. The workers all cleaned up after themselves.

It was a pleasure to help Donna & Bill get the kitchen they’ve always wanted. How can we help you meet your goals for your home? Get more details about our process and schedule a design consultation here.

Looking for more design inspiration for your kitchen? Join us for our Kitchens that Work Design Workshop on May 18th. Get the details and RSVP here by May 15th to attend FREE.

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Sep 16

Design Secrets: Which Kitchen Sink is Right for You?

A vintage farmhouse sink is a very cool way to add personality to your kitchen- but is it right for the style of your home and your family’s lifestyle? We interviewed Arciform Senior Designer Chelly Wentworth for some pro tips to help you choose the sink that’s right for you.

What are the most common styles of kitchen sinks that your clients request for their projects? What are the pros and cons for these common styles?

Undermount single bowl is the most common style requested by my clients.

This undermount single bowl sink avoids the lip of a top mount sink,
making the counters easier to keep clean.

It’s better for soaking larger pans and cookie sheets and has a cleaner installation.

Another common request is the farmhouse sink. It’s technically most appropriate for older home styles but people love them!

This apron front farmhouse sink adds to the classic feel of this kitchen in a 1909 home.

They are charming and recall a bygone era.

One advantage of the farmhouse sink is that sink cabinets can take a beating and farmhouse sinks provide protection. They are generally deep which makes them great for washing and filling taller pots. The roomy interiors help when cookie sheets and pans need soaking.

Do you have a favorite farmhouse sink?

When a project calls for a sleeker look I like stainless steel farmhouse sinks.

There are a variety of sink materials (stainless steel, porcelain, etc)- what are some pros and cons of these different materials?

Stainless Steel

Easy to clean, sleek style, variety of shapes, goes well with stainless steel appliances

This stainless steel sink includes a continuous steel counter and backsplash,
making it a very practical choice for this busy family.

Be aware that not all stainless steel sinks are created equal.

The sink needs to be a high grade of steel (18/10 or better) and be insulated for sound.

Also, keep in mind that stainless steel scratches easily and can dent.

This under-mount stainless steel sink was used for a contemporary Pearl District loft kitchen.

Cast Iron

This is a great traditional choice that includes a life time warranty by some manufacturers.

This basement guest suite uses am IronTones cast iron topmount sink from Kohler.

Cast iron sinks with enamel or porcelain coatings are available in many colors but a limited number of shapes.

Be aware that the coatings can chip and get stained but can usually be cleaned.

This very cool farmhouse pedestal leg sink features porcelain finish over cast iron with built in drainboards. It is from Strom Plumbing and its called Clarion.

Fireclay

This is a durable and non-porous material, making it resistant to stains and able to withstand high heat.

This historic property incorporated a fireclay apron front sink from Kohler to fit with the turn of the century style of the home.

Available in a wide range of colors and styles, fireclay can mimic a traditional cast iron look with added durability.

Just keep in mind that they can be uneven and water can pool in them because of their uneven surfaces.

Composites

Made from a mixture of granite stone dust and acrylic resins, composites come in dark colors that can help them blend in with darker counter materials.

This Silgranit under-mount sink is a grey granite composite material.
It was installed into our Portland Monthly Kitchen Makeover kitchen.

Harsh chemicals and high heat can damage some composite sinks, so be sure to select a sink that’s designed for high heat resistance.

You could also choose to have a sink carved out of a whole block of soapstone or other stone material, or to have one manufactured out of slabs of stone for a natural look.

This soapstone sink was assembled from stone slabs for a textured, very distinctive look.

You will have the same maintenance concerns with these materials in your sink as you would in your counter tops- granite can be porous and show stains, while soapstone looks best when oiled as part of a regular maintenance routine.

Is there a style of sink or sink material you tend to steer people away from? If so, why?

If they can’t live with scratches, I’ll steer them away from stainless steel.

If they are installing a dishwasher, I will often advise that a double bowl or asymmetrical sink is not necessary.

This double bowl asymmetrical stainless steel sink works well for an empty-nest couple who do not typically have a full load of dishes to do at one time. But a larger family (or a couple who loves to cook large pots of pasta) may prefer a deeper single bowl sink.

Do you have favorite or “go to” sink that you have used on multiple projects? What do you like about it?

Here are a few of my favorites:

Rohl Shaws Original for FarmHouse

Its ‘the original’ and I love the little logo

Kohler Cast Iron

I like these for undermount sinks.

Blanco Silgranit

Finally, for fireclay undermount sinks I like

Allia

What advice do you have for homeowners about selecting a sink style that will be right for their family’s needs?

I always ask homeowners to consider the following questions when deciding on a sink:

What style of sink would have been common during the era your home was built?
What style of sink are you most used to?
Who will be using the sink?
Do you do a lot of hand washing or do you primarily use the dishwasher?
What’s your cooking style? If you cook a lot of pasta you may need a deeper sink. Asian foods cooked with a hot wok may lead you towards a heat resistant material while a preference for lots of sauces might suggest a sink that is stain and acid resistant.
What’s your budget?

Sinks can range widely in price based on style and material. Your designer can help steer you towards choices that fit both your style and your budget.

Want to explore more ideas for designing your dream kitchen?

Join us October 8th for our Kitchen Confidential workshop for an evening of inspiration and insider tricks that will help you make your kitchen a pleasure to live and work in.

Get the details and RSVP here.

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Aug 15

1 Comment

Kitchen Confidential: 5 Hidden Conveniences for Your Kitchen

(Small appliances tucked elegantly out of sight? Yes, please!)

Sometimes, the thing you love most about your kitchen is completely invisible to the casual guest in your home. These little conveniences can help make your kitchen a pleasure to live and work in.

Here are 5 Hidden Conveniences to Consider for Your Kitchen Project

1. Build In Space for Breakfast… and Business.

(This kitchen and its cleverly convenient nook was designed by Arciform owner and Senior Designer Anne De Wolf.)

This small pantry area reclaimed space off of our client’s kitchen, adding storage and allowing the main kitchen to feel more open. Once the built in cabinets were added, however, the remaining footprint was small and the client still needed space for a work desk and a breakfast area.

The solution: A laptop desk that cleverly slides out from the work station (above left) and a breakfast bar that drops down to tuck out of the walkway when not in use (below).

2. Electrify Your Island.

(This kitchen renovation was for the historic Barnes Mansion, which is featured as the “Haunted Mansion” in Beverly Cleary’s Ramona Quimby books. The kitchen was designed by Arciform owner and senior designer Anne De Wolf.)

This client’s Historic Register home needed a kitchen island that would fit the elegant and timeless aesthetic of the rest of the space. She also needed to be able to plug her mixer and other small appliances in without dragging a cord across the large kitchen.

The solution: A custom built island with turned legs that creates a furniture-like look AND cleverly hides the cords for the electric outlet inside a hollow leg.

3. Tuck Trays (and Technology) into Your Toe Kicks.

(These custom cabinets were designed by Arciform Senior Designer Chelly Wentworth and are being built by our sister company Versatile Wood Products for use on a kitchen project being completed this summer.)

Make every inch of your custom kitchen work a bit harder by installing drawers into your toe kicks. This recessed portion of the cabinet by the floor is often wasted space, but a shallow drawer tucked into your toe kick is a great place to store cookie sheets and platters (or even the good silverware.)

Or take it a step further (if you’ll forgive the pun) and invest in one of these very cool Scalimera toe kick step stools that automatically pop out and unfold themselves when you kick them. You can check out a video of these nifty little numbers in action here.

(We’ll be installing one of these into the toe kick of another Historic Register home designed by Ellis Lawrence that is currently undergoing a kitchen renovation designed by Arciform Senior Designer Kristyn Bester.)

4. Slip Spices into a Secret Cabinet.

(Arciform Senior Designer Chelly Wentworth helped our Kitchen Makeover winners transform their kitchen from dingy and difficult to uncluttered and utterly charming.)

The biggest design challenge faced in the design for our Portland Monthly Kitchen Makeover winner was how to tuck in storage wherever we could into a kitchen with a very small footprint and very limited cabinet space. The lower cabinets were in great shape and had orignial 1930s era mesh inset cabinet doors with charming vintage hardware. How could we help this couple keep the charming elements of their current kitchen and add easy access to their spices and cooking oils without cluttering up their extremely limited counter space?

The solution: Carve out pockets of space to the left and right of their range for cookie sheet storage and a pull out spice rack that tucks back behind a narrow door when not in use. Salvage butterfly hinges were found to match the charming details on the rest of the cabinets to make the secret spice drawer feel like it was always there.

Or tuck your spices into a neatly organized drawer with a spice rack insert:

5. Hide the Pantry in Plain Sight.

(This kitchen renovation is part of a whole house remodel designed by Arciform owner and Senior Designer Anne De Wolf.)

This kitchen renovation in a Sellwood Victorian was designed to be a simple space that opened directly onto the family’s main living space. The main kitchen footprint would be small, efficient and open, with no upper cabinets to store typical serving items and pantry essentials. How would this busy family of four fit their day to day groceries into the space?

The solution: A bit of unused space adjacent to the downstairs powder room was converted into a pantry. Dishes and attractive serving items are displayed on open shelving and backed by custom built divided lite windows that create an old fashioned small town grocery store feeling. Day to day pantry items are stored on shelving tucked into the nook behind the windows, making them easy to access but largely invisible to casual users of the space.

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May 12

Case Study: A Historic Review Kitchen

We often get asked what kind of projects will trigger Portland’s Historic Review process and what can be done to help a project navigate smoothly through that process.

Here is Arciform Junior Designer Jeffrey Kelley’s experience working on a current Arciform project that passed Historic Review with flying colors and is now under construction:

Tell me about your recent historic review project. What historic designations does the client’s home have?

The project was a kitchen renovation done on the Frank C. Stettler house, which was designed by Ellis Lawrence in 1914. This home is designated as a Historic Landmark on the national registry.

What were the client’s goals for her renovation project?

She wanted to renovate the kitchen to make it more period appropriate while at the same time gaining space for a powder bath since there wasn’t a first floor bathroom.

Here are some BEFORE pictures of the existing kitchen:

And here are some perspective renderings of the project design:

These perspective renderings show the concept for the new kitchen. Designed by Kristyn Bester.

What aspect of the project required historic review?

Historic review deals with changes to the exterior of a home. In this case we were removing an exterior access to the basement as well as reconfiguring some windows.

What design choices were made or modified with historic review in mind?

We had to make sure that the door and window choices we were making fit the style of the home and reflected the existing architecture. So things like matching the divided light pattern [on the windows], rail and style dimensions [on the doors], millwork details, hardware, header height, etc.

What kind of questions need to be answered for Historic Review?

Here’s an example:

“Historic changes. Most properties change over time. Those changes that have acquired historic significance will be preserved.

There will be no changes to areas that have acquired historic significance after the original construction of the house. The proposed remodel area, which was previously remodeled, has yet to be documented in the historic description of the house and was constructed sometime within the last twenty years. The materials and finishes in the current kitchen do not reflect the period in which the house was built and will, as much as possible, be replaced with more period appropriate choices.

The exterior basement entry at the side and West facing façade of the house is not mentioned in the National Register description of the house and serves as a secondary and rarely used point of access to the basement. The proposed remodel will replace this entrance and absorb the stairwell in favor of a kitchen and nook layout that will improve functionality, increase usable space and feature architectural details that will better reflect the home’s original intent. For example, new double hung windows will be installed at the West façade to replace the exterior basement door and closely match details of the adjacent double hung windows. This will provide a more consistent architectural rhythm along this wall. The South façade will feature new French doors with a divided light configuration and sticking profiles to match the original West facing door which leads to the original porte-cochère.”

What kind of documentation of those choices did the city require?

We submitted exterior elevations, window and door specs, floor plans, and a thorough explanation as to how and why we were going to match the existing architecture with materials that mimicked but did not match what was there. Historic review wants there to be designation between what was existing and what is new.

What concerns did you have about the review process- were there aspects of the project you were worried would face a review challenge?

Our biggest concern was whether or not the review was going to grant us permission to remove the exterior access to the basement. Even though there is interior access to the basement this seemed like an area in which they could argue that it was part of the original function of the house.

How long did the review process take?

We submitted the review on March 18^th and we got the approval on May 1^st pending a 14 day appeal period.

What feedback (if any) did you get from the review team about the process?

The only feedback we got was a question about the door configuration and why we chose to match the door at the porte cochere. We explained that the home owner wanted to match the existing details of the original door rather than match the French door on the same façade which had been added much later.

Any advice you would offer for a homeowner in a historic district looking to do a similar renovation?

I would say to do as much research on your home before you start designing as possible. It is important to know as much about the home’s history as possible before considering how to alter it. It is also important to understand what triggers a historic review and make sure that if you do trigger it the changes are all critical to the project. If you can avoid changing the exterior of your home then you avoid the review all together.

10. Where would you recommend homeowners go to start their research?

There are great resources available through Portland’s Development Services website. I’d start there. Portland Maps can also be a great place to find out basic information about your home’s history and what renovations it has already received in its lifetime.

And of course the Arciform Design Team is always happy to help!

We look forward to posting completed images from this project later this summer.

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Apr 25

Client’s Eye View: Laurelhurst Cottage Remodel

We’re just breaking ground on a renovation of a 1928 Tudor cottage in Laurelhurst and delighted to discover that our clients have decided to start a blog to track their renovation experience from start to finish.

How fun!

Check out their first post here. We’ll follow along from our blog as well. Here’s a few favorite tidbits from her first post:

In late October 2013 we purchased & moved into our home in the historic Laurelhurst neighborhood of Portland, OR. Within the first week of moving in we met and started our journey with the talented peoples at Arciform to transform the outdated and dysfunctional kitchen and master bathroom into something great!

Day 3:

“Blue skies all around me, nothing but blue skies do i see…” or it could just be a blue tarp covering the kitchen window.

JACKHAMMERING…

(do I need to say any more about that???)

to lay the foundation for the “nook” addition and the new slope of stairs from the main floor to the basement the existing concrete pad for the mud room was removed.

We can’t wait to see how it all comes together. Will you take the journey with us?

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Mar 6

Kitchen Makeover: The Big Reveal

We couldn’t be more excited to show of the final results of our Portland Monthly Kitchen Makeover.

Ready?

Before we go farther… Let’s take a look back at where we began.

Remember this?

Thanks to thoughtful design from Arciform Senior Designer Chelly Wentworth it now it looks like this:

These new upper cabinets and open corner shelving were provided by Versatile Wood Products and installed by the Arciform team. Isn’t it amazing what a fresh coat of paint can do to highlight the gorgeous original millwork details and transform the look of a space?

Next: Remember this?

Now there’s this:

The new range and range hood are both from Standard TV and Appliance and the peninsula cabinetry and open shelving is by Versatile Wood Products. The larger than average beam across the opening conceals needed venting for the range hood provided by Advanced Heating and Cooling. The clients saved costs by doing some of the demolition of the existing chimney and the wall themselves.

That beautiful Carrara marble countertop is thanks to Oregon Tile and Marble, with expert installation by Wall to Wall Stone Corp.

And this…

Now looks like this:

Thanks to George Morlan Plumbing for the undermount sink and new sink fixture and Power Plumbing for the additional plumbing parts. Oregon Tile and Marble provided the beautiful subway tile backsplash. The new hardwood flooring was contributed by Emerson Hardwoods and installed by the excellent CZ Becker. Arciform was delighted to be able to save the existing lower cabinets with their charming original hardware and mesh detail.

And let’s not forget that this:

Now looks like this:

Here’s a few of the details we particularly love:

The simple stainless of the pot racks picks up the stainless steel of their new fridge.

The timeless lighting fixtures from Schoolhouse Electric add grace without distracting from the clean lines of the kitchen. We’re grateful to Master Tech Electric for coming in during the estimating process with an additional donation to support the cost of getting these beautiful new fixtures installed.

The breakfast bar incorporated the new wine fridge, a key client priority, and the corbels beneath the marble bar subtly reference the beautiful existing built in dining room cabinetry. Emerson Hardwoods and CZ Becker did an amazing job of exactly matching the color of the existing dining room floor, extending it into the kitchen to make the whole space feel continuous.

We are so honored to help this young couple create a timeless and beautiful space to cook and entertain for years to come.

Ready to start your own small kitchen makeover? Email spencer@arciform.com to schedule your own Initial Design Consultation.

Explore More with these Previous Kitchen Makeover Posts:

Finishing Things Up

Making Progress

Ready, Set, Launch!

Contract Revisions: The Devil in the Details

Design Phase

Meet the Makeover Winners

Announcing the Winner

Makeover Contest Finalists

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Thanks again to our Small Kitchen Makeover Contest Partners: