Photos by Troy Thies
The wish list of the longtime owners of this Stillwater home wasn’t unusual, but the circumstances were. They wanted to simply update and open up the kitchen to make entertaining easier, but the adjoining family room was sunken and featured a vaulted ceiling much higher than in the kitchen. Just opening up a wall wasn’t going to cut it. “It was a little unusual, but we solved the problem by leveling the floors with new wood flooring throughout and adding a floating wood soffit above the new island,” says Suzanne Pottinger, spacial designer and co-owner of Novare Renovation & Design. “It unified the space while adding some personal character.”
Fresh white cabinets paired with a warm wood island, matte granite countertops, and a variety of light fixtures (including pendants, task, in-cabinet, and recessed ceiling lights) add more interest and give the space a timeless feel. Character-grade hickory hardwood floors with a custom stain create depth and tie the design together. Pottinger says the empty-nester clients with a growing extended family were ecstatic with the overall result: “They were a little nervous during the budgeting and design phase,” she recalls, “but it was a pleasure to guide them through that and arrive at this happy outcome.”
