A home in Rancho Santa Margarita got a complete kitchen overhaul with the help of APlus contractors.
Before
The former kitchen was rather basic and cookie cutter. It had typical wood cabinets in a bulky build, as well as generic dark granite countertops. The owners were seeking a more modernized look that had a mixture of industrial and rustic design accents.
Restructuring
We completely demolished the old kitchen and relaid the floors with rugged oak-hued hardwood. This rich golden color provides a warm base that contrasts well with the cool tones and modern elements we added afterward.
The maple custom cabinets were built in a Euro-style construction with 3” Shaker doors, according to a U-shaped layout. They feature Square crown moulding and Colonial base moulding. We painted them in a slate-toned finish called Legendary Gray. The cabinets were outfitted with spice pulls, a double trash pull and custom floating wood shelves above the stove area and the diagonal kitchen corner.
At the breakfast bar section, we left a cutout space for legroom, and faced it with a nut-colored wood panel that features a convenient electrical outlet. As for the center of the kitchen, we constructed a custom center island with a finish of Whisper White, sporting sturdy dark posts and shelves. It has cabinet storage on both sides, including pull-out tray shelving. A quaint wooden dining table with the same coloring as the flooring and wall shelves acts as an extension of the island, and its minimalist bench seating keeps things streamlined and unobtrusive.
All of the countertops are made of a lovely pale gray stone with delicate dark striations. The glossiness of their smooth texture is enhanced by the industrial globe lights that hang in a row above the center island. Light also spills in from the large glass door along the outer wall, which leads to the backyard. The exposed walls were covered with Imperial Bianco Gloss 2” x 12” Tiles to keep the kitchen’s new style airy and bright.
Appliances
To maintain the industrial theme, all stainless steel appliances were selected. The Thermador Star-Sapphire Series Dishwasher is situated in the breakfast bar section, next to the Kohler Chef Inspired Collection Stages 45” Under-Mount Kitchen Sink. A Wolf Pro 24” Deep Wall Hood is seated above the Wolf 48” Dual Fuel Ranges, near the large Subzero 48" Built-In Side-by-Side Refrigerator with Internal Dispenser.
Do you have an Orange County home in need of remodeling? Contact APlus today for a free quote! Our professional renovation contractors would be happy to help you start your project!
In the classy suburb of Tustin, the owners of a local home wanted to give it a bit of personality through a professional kitchen renovation.
Before
The original kitchen was fairly generic and unremarkable. This didn’t match at all with the owners’ affinity for brightness and cheer. We were asked to help update the kitchen with a few transitional design elements, as well as improve cabinet storage and incorporate some unique style accents.
Restructuring
We started by laying the floors with Timber Frost tiles by Eleganza. That set the stage for the soft and muted spring-inspired palette we planned to implement in our subsequent work.
The maple custom cabinets were built in a G-shaped layout, with a Euro-style construction, Victorian (outer bead) style doors, and a powdery white DE Swiss Coffee finish. They include fold-out corner doors, built-in lazy susans, and a vertical tray pull-out. The doors and drawers were affixed with Belcastel stainless steel handles, and the undersides of the cabinets feature hidden rail lighting. Surfaces were covered with sleek gray countertops that have a 1 ½” Single Bevel (Short) edge. This protrudes over the outer section of cabinetry to create a casual breakfast bar. Here, hidden storage consists of a cabinet concealing pull-out tray shelving.
At the tops of the cabinets, you can see where we put in Colonial crown moulding, which was also extended to the window casings and the rest of the walls.
The walls themselves were painted pastel yellow on the outer side of the kitchen, adding a sunny, effervescent feel. As for the rest of the kitchen’s walls, they were covered with a backsplash of glossy tiles in a subtle mint hue. This colorful interplay of wall colors is enhanced by the addition of hanging lamps with vibrant casings. A fresh and charming appearance is the final result.
Appliances
Our client chose mostly stainless steel appliances for their new kitchen. These include a Samsung 30” 5.8 cu. ft. Slide-in Gas Range with Intuitive Controls beneath a 30” Stainless Steel Range Hood, set against the center of the kitchen’s back wall. To the right, the GE Profile™ Series 1.1 Cu. Ft. Countertop Microwave Oven was built into the cabinetry, as was the LG 36” 23 cu. ft. Counter Depth 4-Door Refrigerator with FlexZone™ Drawer. Beneath the kitchen window is a large undermount apron-front sink. This is neighbored by a Bosch 24" Recessed Handle Dishwasher, selected in a white finish so that it could blend in with the surrounding cabinets.
Looking for a free quote for your own professional home renovation? APlus is ready to help! Our contractors can easily determine a ballpark budget for your personal kitchen, bathroom, or full-home remodel. We service homes throughout all of Orange County.
Robin and Tom, the owners of this Villa Park home, came to APlus to achieve two main objectives. The first was a modernized lower level update while the second included the addition of a new master bedroom and bathroom.
The project represented a massive undertaking over the period of a year, as Alex and the team at APlus worked with Robin and Tom to design the home and master suite they’d always wanted.
The Home Before
Before the remodel the main living areas in the home felt cramped and dated. The ceilings were relatively low, and wood beams made it feel even more enclosed. The family room included a wide, white brick fireplace that lacked a mantle and was topped by plank panels.
The kitchen was large with a functional footprint, but the countertops, cabinets and light fixtures were outdated, and there was a shortage of cabinet and storage space. The kitchen island was also relatively small, and the bar hardly extended at all, with no additional leg room if people were seated here.
At the front of the house, there was a traditional staircase, which felt heavy because of its wood construction, and the hallway leading from the kitchen seemed narrow and closed off.
The guest bathroom featured a vanity with a tiled top, as well as dark tiling running along both the walls and the ceiling, making the space feel smaller than it actually is.
The Concept
Alex worked with the homeowners to create a remodeled kitchen, living area, guest bathroom and a revamped staircase. While this was a large project, it was the planned master suite addition that represented the bulk of the architectural work.
Robin and Tom, along with Alex, planned to add about 600 square feet of additional space through the master suite addition, which would include the creation of a foundation, framing, and roofing. The complexity of the addition required APlus to create not only architectural plans but also structural engineering.
The demo process included the removal of cabinetry throughout, the removal of flooring and baseboards throughout the downstairs level of the home, the removal of casings to all interior doors, the removal of an upstairs linen closet, the removal of ceiling drywall in the family room and kitchen, panel removal above the family room fireplace, the removal of the brick and hearth from the fireplace wall in both the living room and the family room and the removal of wainscoting in the dining room.
The Kitchen
The kitchen retained some of its original footprint and layout, but became an open, modern space with a sleek, clean design. APlus manufactured the custom cabinetry in a European style with a white finish. The maple cabinetry includes high-end chrome pulls and hardware. Built-in features include lazy Susans, spice pulls, and a double trash pull.
The island features abundant built-in storage and is topped by a white stone countertop with 2.25 mitered edges, cascading to the floor in a waterfall style. The customized built-in pantries feature three bottom drawers, rollouts to eye level and adjustable upper shelving. The high-end appliance package includes a Zephyr Sienna Pro range hood, a Wolf 48-inch dual-fuel range and a 48-inch side-by-side Sub Zero refrigerator. The island boasts a built-in microwave drawer while the beautiful kitchen faucet is a Meridian polished chrome pull-down sprayer.
The small bar area of the counter was removed to better open the kitchen to the family room.
A glass tile mosaic backsplash was carried to the ceiling, recessed lights were added, and pendant lights hang over the bar. The kitchen opens via a wide door to the outside patio and pool area, and between the kitchen and living area there is space for a dining table, as well as more built-in storage in the form of custom cabinetry and a bar-top counter with the same luxe thick, mitered stone edges of the rest of the kitchen.
Over the dining area hangs a sculpturally-inspired modern light fixture with straight lines and glass globes.
The sightlines between the kitchen and family room are completely open, which makes it feel much larger and more functional than the previous design.
The Family Room
The living area was transformed from cramped and dated to bright, open and modern. The main focal point of the room is the fireplace, which was redesigned to include a stacked stone surround, along with a custom mantle that extends to built-in shelving installed along the wall. The fireplace design includes a recessed TV niche, and the richly colored plank flooring from the kitchen continues here.
The heavy ceiling beams were removed and recessed lighting maintains the feeling of a high, airy ceiling, much like the kitchen.
Master Suite Addition
The main floor master addition was a crucial component of the redesign. The homeowners wanted a master bedroom and bathroom that would offer them space, functionality and a sophisticated design that was in-line with the remodel happening elsewhere in their home.
The addition and exterior work completed by APlus required the pouring of new footings and slabs before framing began.
The master bedroom includes ample natural light as well as incredibly high vaulted ceilings. There is a separate outdoor entry and exit space that includes French doors delivering views of the existing pool area.
One entire wall of the bedroom is made up of closets constructed of wood grain melamine with a customized APlus organization system.
In the master bathroom, white European-style cabinetry was used, and the expansive double vanity is topped with gray quartz. Adjacent to the vanity is a spacious walk-in frameless shower with a built-in seat area and large-scale Eleganaza tile from the Loft series, in Grigio.
More storage is included with the addition of custom free-standing linen closets that match the design of the bathroom’s primary cabinetry. A built-in vanity features seating space, and a walk-in bathtub is set under a large low-E window.
The Powder Room
Another area of the project included a refresh of the powder room to include a sleek, floating vanity with high-gloss Euro cabinetry in “Storm.” The dark color of the vanity juxtaposes the white, thick-cut countertop and additional storage was added diagonally from the toilet and vanity.
A decadent metallic wallpaper was added, while the plank flooring found throughout the rest of the house is also included in the new powder room design. The quartz countertop is carried upward to create a vanity backsplash.
Also included in the main level remodel of this Villa Park home was a refreshed staircase. In place of heavy, dark wood steps there are now black stairs with tile risers and a glass and steel railing floats alongside the stairs, which makes them feel more open than they were previously.
The formal living area includes a style similar to the living room adjacent to the kitchen, featuring the continuation of wide plank-style flooring with detailed graining.
The living area to the front of the home also includes another stacked stone fireplace, as well as recessed lighting.
The laundry room underwent changes as part of the remodel to include custom European maple cabinetry from APlus with 3-inch shaker doors.
During this intensive construction and remodel project APlus and Alex’s team were careful to not just produce an outstanding design that exceeded the owners’ expectations, but they also worked to make the process as seamless and comfortable as possible for them.
The result is a home that’s as beautiful as it is livable. The homeowners are now able to enjoy more square footage, a luxurious master retreat, and a stylishly updated living space, as well as a high-end kitchen with impeccable finishes and professional-quality appliances
The APlus team was called upon by the owners of a Coto de Caza home to perform a full-scale kitchen renovation.
Before
Originally, the kitchen had standard cabinets that didn’t make the best use of the space available. This lead to problems with awkward storage arrangements. The owners requested that we build custom cabinets that not only enhanced the beauty of the kitchen, but also maximized the storage options available and made working in the kitchen far more practical.
Restructuring
The floors were laid with beige colored stone tiles in a diamond-pattern, creating a foundation of subtle texture and neutral hue. Upon that base we began to build the new custom cabinets in a U-shaped layout that hugged the walls of the kitchen. We constructed the cabinets out of maple wood in a traditional style, with Flat Beaded Edge crown moulding. The sleek Royce stainless steel handles allow for a blend of classic and modern design that results in a transitional look for the entire kitchen. We outfitted the cabinets with many stacks of drawers to provide various sorting and storage options. Corner cabinets have fold-out doors and built-in lazy susans, which come standard every APlus kitchen renovation.
The undersides of the cabinets are augmented with light rails, providing more illumination for the pristine white stone countertops. This lighting also draws attention to the narrow earthy gray tiles applied to the walls as a stylish backsplash. On the ceiling, the recessed portion is trimmed with its own moulding to give a tidy, sophisticated appearance. The recessed lighting here incorporates even more modernity. In the middle of the kitchen we built a slender island to provide more workspace. It has multiple drawers and shelves.
After all of the materials and cabinets were in place, the remodeled kitchen boasted a new look that was fresh, bright, and beautifully simple.
Appliances
In keeping with the transitional design of the the kitchen, the owners opted for primarily stainless steel appliances. Beneath the bay window there’s a double-bowl undermount sink, next to an undercounter dishwasher. On the other side of the kitchen, a double-oven and a microwave are housed among the cabinets. The refrigerator is faced with the same materials as the surrounding cabinetry, while the 6-burner rangetop on the kitchen island sports a glossy black finish.
If you are interested in having your Orange County home updated with a kitchen remodel or other type of renovation, contact us today. APlus handles all types of renovations, and services all neighborhoods in the area.
