A kitchen to live in

Published 12:01 am Thursday, February 10, 2011

When it comes time for an interior designer to remodel her own kitchen, it’s a big deal.

At least that’s how Kelly DuByne, a Lake Stevens-based interior designer and color expert, felt last year when she embarked on a new kitchen adventure with her husband, Dan, 47, and their children, Hannah

, 10, and Sam, 8, as her chief clients.

To make things even more interesting, DuByne, 43, had never tackled a kitchen.

She knew it would be a big job to completely remake their space with new cabinets, floors, counters and lighting — all on a strict budget — in a style worthy of a professional interior designer.

Did she do it?

Yes.

In the end, DuByne, who served as her own general contractor, kept their project under $30,000, going only about 11 percent over budget.

She also ended up with a dreamy space, ideal not just for cooking, but also for dining, doing homework or just having a cup of coffee while looking out the window at the Cascade Range.

While DuByne’s kitchen was cute before with oak cabinets, white laminate counters and new black and stainless steel appliances, it’s more sophisticated and functional now, DuByne said.

“This is the best thing for our family,” DuByne said. “We just live in our kitchen.”

DuByne started by hiring her friend, Darcy Mertz Krewson, a space planning expert.

Working together, the two came up with a much better flow for the space to suit the family of four.

They removed an old bifold door to a pantry that had shallow, awkward shelving that never seemed to fit the things the family wanted to store.

They created a new pantry on the opposite wall, using the space inside the new kitchen cabinets, including deeper, more practical shelving.

They moved the tiny kitchen peninsula to the other side of the space and made it much larger, using a single slab of quartz. It can now seat four to six instead of two, allowing the entire family to dine in the kitchen instead of in the home’s small dining room.

Krewson also suggested moving the refrigerator out of the corner, creating more counter and cabinet space, including an appliance garage to tuck clunky kitchen gadgets out of sight.

DuByne choose maple for her cabinets and paired it with a ginger stain, one of the darkest available for the wood, to create a dark, rich look.

Though DuByne’s cabinets feature traditional doors and drawers, she added a touch of contemporary with elongated, brushed nickel pulls.

That’s not all that’s eclectic about the space.

DuByne used a different color — black — for the cabinets over the kitchen peninsula, where a bookshelf and extra storage add a cozy touch.

“This is a compromise,” said DuByne, who originally wanted black cabinets in the rest of the kitchen, accented by creamy white cabinets over the peninsula.

DuByne’s husband worried black would be too dark, so she adjusted her design. In the end, the effect was the same, DuByne said.

“I really like contrast,” she said. “I love it.”

Instead of leaving spaces over the tops of the cabinets, DuByne had her cabinets built all the way to the ceiling topped by crown molding.

She also had under-cabinet lighting installed to create warm, indirect light for the space.

“I call this my grown-up kitchen,” DuByne said, of the space’s clear counters and clean lines, intentionally free of knickknacks.

That’s not to say the kitchen is without decorative flair.

For the floors, DuByne designed a custom zigzag pattern of cream and orange using click-together Marmoleum planks, a product made by Forbo.

Marmoleum, a modern type of linoleum, is made with natural ingredients including linseed oil and other renewable, nonplastic materials.

It’s soft underfoot, doesn’t require sealing and is easy to install, DuByne said.

“We had fun with the flooring and made it the focal point,” she said. “I like things that are a little different.”

DuByne carried the slightly retro theme throughout the space by using an avocado green on the walls in the adjacent living room and orange in the hallway.

Her kitchen backsplash — bright, shiny white subway tiles — is also a bit of a throwback.

DuByne is happy with how well everything came together for the new space, which they had used since their home was built 15 years ago.

“We’ve always had a dream to redo our kitchen,” DuByne said.

Sarah Jackson: 425-339-3037, sjackson@heraldnet.com.

Cost-saving tips

Make stock cabinets work: Stock cabinets are typically made in standardized modules, which can make them less expensive than custom cabinets.

That doesn’t mean they create a cookie-cutter look, however. Homeowners can customize myriad features, including wood choice, stain or paint colors, plus the styles of the doors, drawers and hardware.

That’s not to mention the features hidden inside the cabinets, such as easy-access spice racks, roll-out shelves and, in the case of Kelly DuByne’s kitchen, built-in storage and lifts for heavy appliances such as stand mixers.

Seek out returned, discontinued items: Homeowners can save big on tile, flooring materials and countertop surfaces if they’re open to items that vendors are discontinuing or that other customers have returned (usually because of color or style errors).

DuByne’s backsplash tiles were one of her cost-saving triumphs, purchased at a steep discount after someone else had returned them to the store. They weren’t just cheap: They were perfect for her design.

DuByne said: “I think my whole backsplash cost $200. I love it. It’s what I had envisioned.”

Sell your old stuff: Used cabinets, flooring, appliances and sinks — if carefully removed during demolition — can be sold second-hand or traded with craftsmen, who might be able to use them in other projects, including rental properties or garages.

Get your bids: DuByne said comparison shopping helped her save money. She made sure to get three bids on every major facet of her kitchen, including cabinets, counters and flooring.

Resources

Distinctive Interior Designs, Kelly DuByne, Lake Stevens, 425-238-3678, www.distinctiveinteriordesigns.net. DuByne teaches design classes throughout Snohomish County. See the Home & Garden calendar for more details.

Cibert Construction, cabinets, 1800 Bickford Ave., Suite 214, Snohomish, 360-863-2269.

Mertz Design & Associates, Darcy Mertz Krewson, space planning, Everett, 425-770-5355, darcymk@mertzandassociates.com.

Michael White, carpenter, 425-501-4193.

Rehabber Extraordinaire, Kim Daughtry, remodeling and rental maintenance, 425-397-8555, kimdaughtry@comcast.net.

Quality Counter, quartz countertops, 1625 E. Marine View Drive, Everett, www.qualitycounter.com, 425-303-9180.