Open-Concept Kitchen

With this project the homeowner, Michelle wanted to have an updated, open-concept kitchen that supported the daily needs of her family of six. The Aptitude Design and Build team helped her think through everything from the right design aesthetic to her operational needs supporting the day-to-day happenings with four kids. The finished project included two dishwashers, an oversized cook top and a double wall oven. The updated layout, which included taking out a wall, was spread apart but not too far, giving her a feeling of the family nearby without being cramped.

The first step in creating Michelle’s dream kitchen was to find out what color preferences and styles she liked. These ideas informed the 3D rendering design proposal that included both the new proposed open kitchen layout as well as details for the design elements. Michelle really knew what she wanted so she went with Aptitude Design and Build's first design proposal and the team was ready to select finishes such as the back-splash tile and fixtures. Michelle wanted the vibe to be light and happy, so Aptitude Design and Build went with light colors and shiny chrome finishes, which gave a happy vibe while creating a strong contrast for the fixtures so they really popped. One of Aptitude Design and Build team's favorite details was the hand-blown glass light fixture – which stands out without stealing the show. “We like to do details that you notice and think wow that’s really unique, I would never have thought to do that,” says Aptitude Design and Build founder Matt Mierek.

The big challenge the team ran into was what to do with the floors of the kitchen. There was all different flooring throughout the first floor – tile, hardwood, and carpet. Aptitude Design and Build wanted to come up with a solution that would make everything feel uniform, so they proposed replacing all of the flooring with a hickory hardwood. This would both match the updated kitchen and allow them to work from a new palette instead of trying to mismatch a bunch of flooring types. The end result was an open kitchen that flowed effortlessly into the family room.

The Aptitude Design and Build team loves making day-to-day things for their customers that’s why the storage space was a big focus. Aptitude Design and Build came up with a ton of ideas and solutions that would make cooking and caring for her family easier. Things like a pullout spike rack in a drawer, storage solutions within the cupboards, and other storage accessories that made her organization go into the background.