It was a given: Kevin and Bonnie Nasr wanted to remodel their kitchen.
Small, dated and crammed into the back of their 1924 north Everett home like an afterthought, it had a classic old-house design. Despite being remodeled over the years, it was awkwardly arranged and always crowded.
“It was barely a one-person kitchen,” said Kevin Nasr, who owns Wicked Cellars wine shop in Everett with his wife. “It was so difficult to use.”
That was back in 1991.
Finally, after more than 15 years of planning and dreaming, the Nasrs set out in early 2007 to create their dream kitchen.
Six months later, they had succeeded, thanks to a variety of local craftsmen and an interior designer.
Today, instead of being surrounded by tired cabinets and green and yellow tiles, they are enveloped in the caramel-colored glow of wood, the grandeur of dark polished granite, and space, glorious space.
Floor-to-ceiling cherry cabinets and crown molding preside over new oak floors, a butcher block-topped island and a built-in buffet.
It’s the box beams overhead, however, that leave newcomers to the kitchen with wide eyes and dropped jaws.
“Everybody has the ‘wow’ reaction to the ceiling,” Bonnie Nasr said of the crisscrossing beams, trimmed with less-expensive hemlock and stained to match the cherry woodwork.
Though beautiful, they aren’t just for show, said Stanwood-based architectural designer Alexandra Gorny. They help conceal structural beams added when load-bearing walls were removed.
Three formerly adjacent rooms — a mudroom, a sunroom and a sitting nook — were absorbed into the new kitchen, which now includes a large built-in dining area that can expand to seat 10. Yes, that’s in addition to the home’s formal dining room.
“You can actually do stuff in the kitchen,” said the Nasrs’ 19-year-old daughter Lauren, home on break from college. “It’s amazing.”
Kevin Nasr said he’s started to cook more for the family, which also includes their 16-year-old son, Conor.
“Now, it’s much easier,” Kevin Nasr said. “There are places to put things.”
Gorny, who specializes in historic restorations and reproductions, designed the extensive cabinets to fit with the original era of the house while also meeting the modern family’s need for storage.
“Good or bad cabinets can make or break a kitchen,” Gorny said, pointing out the classic look of the built-in buffet by local custom cabinetmaker Vern Southard of First Edition in Everett. “It’s a furniture-grade piece of cabinetry.”
Oil-rubbed bronze fixtures, including bin-style pulls on most of the island drawers, are part of the vintage look.
The Liebherr refrigerator and the dishwasher are covered in wood, instead of wildly popular stainless steel, to blend in with the surrounding cabinets.
Electrical outlets, required by code to be numerous and spaced just so, are hidden under cabinets and even tucked under each of the corbels flanking the range backsplash.
Lighting includes reproduction fixtures and only a few small can lights with high-intensity bulbs.
Abundant natural light pours in through both old and new double-hung windows.
Bonnie Nasr, who does the bookkeeping for Wicked Cellars and runs their other business, The Little Gym of Seattle, works from home and loves having brand-new appliances, including a “fully plumbed” Italian commercial espresso maker.
Speaking of favorite beverages, it’s hard not to wonder: Where is the wine cooler? These are the people who purchased Wicked Cellars in 2003, after all.
“We keep our wine in the wine cellar,” Bonnie Nasr said of a chilly, 11-by-11 room in the basement.
The kitchen refrigerator has racks to easily accommodate chilled wines; and the built-in buffet is a stemware shrine with six types of wine glasses: one for Burgundys, one for Oregon pinot noirs, one for bolder reds, one for red blends, one for whites and flutes for champagne.
It was all a long time coming for the Nasrs, who debated the design for years and gradually saved up money to help cover the $120,000 cost, which did not include labor they contributed themselves, such as painting and the staining of the extensive trim.
When it was first completed, after a half-year of microwaved meals, Kevin Nasr would have his breakfast at the far end of the dining area so he could admire the entire space while he ate.
“We were pretty lucky,” Bonnie Nasr said with a grateful grin. “It worked out pretty good.”
Sarah Jackson: 425-339-3037, sjackson@heraldnet.com.
Resources
WAI Gorny Design Alexandra Gorny Stanwood www.waigorny.com 360-629-0509
First Edition Custom cabinets Vern Southard Everett 425-355-8003
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