Stephanie and Jon had wanted to redo the kitchen in their 680-square-foot Madison home for 18 years. They knew the space was sad; as it was, there was little storage and workspace, cabinet doors didn't close, and the room lacked any and all personality. Then they saw that, thanks to a grant, a local green-building consulting firm was offering design plans at a discount. The result: a kitchen with improved functionality and a look as fresh as a blue sky on a sunny day.
Stephanie and Jon were already living the green life when they decided to renovate their kitchen. Living on a bike path, they walk or cycle to their workplaces. Both are leaders in non-profit "time bank" organizations that allow members to exchange services through mutual credit programs. They are also small business owners, so thinking about efficiency, sustainability--and tight budgets--comes naturally.
Madison Environmental Group drew up plans for making better use of the couple's tight kitchen space. Stephanie and Jon took it from there, adapting things and executing the work with help of talented craftspeople.
While the footprint didn't change, everything else did. A solar tube now lets in sunshine. Recycled glass tiles make a bright blue-and-white backsplash. Cabinet doors were crafted out of salvaged windows. Wood flooring came from Habitat ReStore.
A few creative touches add even more personality. Jon turned a bike wheel into a pot rack, and trompe l'oeil molding brought character to a boring back door. An Apartment Therapy post inspired the dish-drain shelf over the sink. And a savvy carpenter had the idea to set the Sun Frost fridge back into the wall to gain extra floor space.
Green Elements/Initiatives:
Resources: Sun Frost refrigerator
Counter: Icestone
Backsplash: Eco-Friendly Flooring
Lighting: LED under-counter lights
Flooring: Habitat for Humanity of Dane County ReStore
Design: Madison Environmental Group
Other: Dane County Time Bank
(Thanks, Stephanie and Jon!)
- Posted by Therese Maring from Apartment Therapy
(Images: Before by Sonya Newenhouse, After by Therese Maring)
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Lovely!
Amazing before and after difference. Great job!
What is the drying rack? Can you just buy that, or is it wire shelving cut to size? I love this feature, and the whole kitchen!
As a Madisonian needing to re-do the kitchen, I'd love to hear what the grant is.
Wow, that is really a great transformation! Beautiful! I also noticed an older version of the slapchop above the sink, like my mom used to have. What memories!
beautiful job!
Is that a 20 inch stove? If so, what kind is it, and do you like it?
Just a great job. Blue is my favorite color. I'm a little surprised you didn't go with a shade of blue for the walls, but that's me. The wood floor is terrific.
Love it! The blue tiles look gorgeous, and I love your philosophy on life.
One big BUT: as a fellow non-dishwasher-owner, that sink set-up would drive me nuts. I would hate having those doors open ready to bonk my head on. Not sure about precariously balancing my dripping dishes at that height, either.
I would love to know how much this reno cost. I love all the neat touches and am wondering how much it would cost to do ourself.
I love it!
That's a same kitchen??? what a change! Great job!!
I like this, but you do understand that NOT remodeling is far more green than remodeling? It really doesn't matter whether the materials you used are recycled -- you are still needlessly creating waste. What happened to the stuff you threw out? Nothing personal -- it's just that green marketing really gets on my nerves.
I love everything about this, ESPECIALLY the recycling. I'm so inspired. Some day, when I've saved many pennies, I'll do this in my kitchen! LOVE shopping at the Restore. :)
LOVE!!!!!! I think it is great that you worked with the footprint you had. The dish drawer idea is AWESOME and so creative. I have never seen anything like it.
Eighteen years living with the "before""... I've been there. The reno is really sweet. I like that you chose a strong tile pattern and color for the backsplash.
I believe your stance against dishwashers is wrongheaded, however. An energy efficient washer is far less wasteful of water --as long as you run it full -- than is hand washing dishes. I lived without a dishwasher for more than 15 years, so I speak from experience. If you are worried about energy use, you just don't use the drying cycle.
Love it! Very cute and colorful.
I live alone (a happy choice for me) and a dishwasher would get pretty nasty before it got full. You don't need to run a sinkful of water to wash a couple of dishes, just pick the biggest thing you need to wash, put a bit of soapy water in it and use that to wash the other stuff. You can use a soap-dispensing brush with a bit of water to wash out a bowl, cup or whatever. Some dishes can be used for a couple of things in a row before you wash them as long as you follow a sanitary protocol. You can have your tea first, then use the cup for cereal or yogurt right afterwards, using the same spoon. You can cook and eat from the same dish sometimes, and use that dish to keep the leftovers for the next day. There are many ways to reduce or reuse. I don't usually drink milk out of the bottle, but if there's only one serving left why not skip using a glass?
@jeffreyk: exactly my thoughts.
Those over counter/inside the cupboard drying racks are really popular in Europe. You rinse your dishes, put them in the drying rack, and you eliminate the extra step of putting them away, as they are already away. I think it would be awesome if American manufacturers/retailers would provide this option, as I think it's ingenious. Efficient, and space saving!
Damn! Looks great.
LOVE LOVE LOVE the counter top! A must check out for me. As for renovating vs. non-renovating - it would be very interesting to compare JefferyK's kitchen with this kitchen (pre-renovation). I'll bet it looks quite different - probably very liveable! Sometimes things need to be fixed up. Like it or not, even household items are organic and lead to decay.
I think you should have continued the green paint on the ceiling - that would have created a very peaceful, cool, soothing environment.
Great job!
I'm the first one to decry actions such as trashing kitchen cabinets that are still serviceable, although unattractive. My idea would be to put them in a garage. I eat off dishes that are generations old and use fabric napkins. Even my dishtowels are vintage. Taking their ideas to a logical conclusion, though, JeffreyK and Galbella would have us washing our dishes in the stream outside our caves. Wouldn't it be greener not to HAVE a kitchen? Seriously, when does the one-upmanship stop?
I think it looks worse. The old cabinets were lovely. And the back splash is garish. Wow.
Love it! The fridge is way cool (and made in the US even)!
Great idea with the bicycle wheel!
Love the tile...reminds me of a swimming pool.
what a night and day improvement! I do love the drying rack over the sink. It makes real sense to me.
I love how they incorporated green initiatives, especially using the bike wheel as a pot rack! I have been trying to find ways to reuse and recycle products in my kitchen as we are remodeling and I must say there is a lot you can do. You can even microwave your kitchen sponge to kill most of the bacteria on it! We are currently in the process of a kitchen cabinet refacing project since our kitchen is very outdated and as a means of saving money instead of replacing the entire cabinet. We are also going to be having white cabinets with the glass in the middle, but I am undecided with the back splash still. I was going to go with a black type color, but this blue really inspires me!