Professional consultants, Dave & Karen like to entertain and wanted a kitchen that truly maximizes a combination of the practical with the aesthetically fun. They both had key elements they wanted to add to their kitchen, had performed extensive research on local renovators and general contractors, and finally came to the decision that Alair Homes Vancouver was the best choice to meet all the requirements of their renovation project. We were excited when we sat down with Dave and Karen for a consultation and to develop a thorough quote. We knew we would be able to take their design ideas and create the kitchen they had been picturing in their minds. One of the unique aspects of this kitchen renovation was that we would be integrating pieces from Ikea with some amazing vintage items and completely custom designs. You can find more details about the Ikea kitchen cabinets and how we adapted them for this renovation in our previous post, Should You Use Ikea Cabinets in Your Home Renovation?
Renovating to Combine Vintage and Modern Elements
With a budget of about $55,000 and 120 square feet, working with their contractor, Alair Homes, they took their time to thoughtfully design and focus their money where it would pay off most in their home reno. Karen wanted ample wine storage and Dave wanted a considerable liquor case. The result? A 3 foot deep custom pullout wine rack that holds 40 bottles, nicely tucked in beside a wine fridge that also holds another 40 bottles. They sourced a truly vintage 140-year-old wrought iron gate that fit the nearby open wall space, and asked us to re-purposed it as a functional art piece to frame a custom 30 bottle liquor shelf. Dave and Karen’s unique style and creativity combined with our peerless quality of service and work resulted in an incredible kitchen renovation.
Durability and value were themes throughout the project. Bamboo laminated counter tops that wrap the entire kitchen and finish in a waterfall end are beautiful and are a sustainable resource. Contrasting with the dark reclaimed, hand hewn, wide plank wood floor and homestead enamel sink, this kitchen is a wonderful blend of both vintage and modern. The overall look and feel are completed by quality appliance features, including a European style Liebherr integrated fridge and an instant hot water tap.
Unique Challenges of this Kitchen Renovation Using Ikea Components
The original kitchen had Ikea cabinets and the owners wanted to keep the sleek styling and re-use the existing cabinets. They spent some time on Houzz and made their own idea book. Confident with the ideas they gathered, they set out to purchase additional Ikea cabinet pieces to create the new vision. As part of the renovation we moved kitchen walls and created structural posts to accommodate the new configuration.
One area that was a challenge was at the end of the U shaped kitchen. The stairs going to the loft and roof top deck–with amazing views of downtown Vancouver–cut at an angle through the cupboard area and created a void underneath them. Ideas like a cabinet with a floor to ceiling size door to a hidden room were contemplated, but in the end a unifying idea and space creator was decided on. We built in a custom appliance garage on rollers that is 3 feet deep and rolls into the void under the stairs; the space was large enough to hide everything! And under the counter is room for the famous wine rack and cooler.
The result of this thoroughly thought out kitchen renovation is a chic space that is comfy and inviting and keeps the urban flair the couple loves.