Award-Winning Kitchen Remodel

Renovating your kitchen isn’t something you do on a whim, says Jim Kabel of Case Design/Remodeling, Inc. “Quite often, something is changing in their lives, or else they’ve lived with something that’s less than optimal for a long time.”

That was certainly true of Doug and Rita Claar, empty-nesters with a 40-year-old single-story home in San Jose. Their new kitchen, designed and constructed by Case, has recently taken top honors – a Platinum Award – in the 2012 Meta Remodeling Awards, sponsored by the Silicon Valley Chapter of the National Association of the Remodeling Industry. And it’s a perfect example of how Case starts every project by listening – really listening – to their homeowners.

The Claar home, like many built in the early 1970s, had walls separating the small kitchen, family room and dining nook, as well as half-walls creating an awkward entry from the foyer to the kitchen. Having lived with it for over 10 years, the Claars had a long list of what they wanted – an open design with more storage, better light, space for entertaining, and surfaces that were not beige.

They did a lot of research, choosing Case Design/Remodeling from a list of 12 contractors only after meeting with both Jim and designer Ramona Tan. “They listened to us,” said Rita. “That was really important. They knew how to take it to the next level without draining our wallet.”

Ramona took the Claar’s ideas and created three different drawings. All three incorporated the must-have features, but each also offered new ideas. “With any client we give them all their options and the information they need to make educated decisions,” she said.
Ultimately, the Claars chose a hybrid of the three designs, and ended up getting something they thought they didn’t have room for – a walk-in pantry.

Re-configuring the awkward kitchen doorway with its half-walls, Ramona created a pantry with plenty of storage for counter-top appliances and specialty cookware – things Rita was storing in the garage. As an added bonus, the new layout improves the flow of the home’s entryway and gives visitors a more inviting and attractive welcome to the remodeled kitchen/family space.

Today, the kitchen features a large island with spacious guest seating and a desk area with storage for cookbooks. There’s plenty of space for entertaining, including a dining table that expands to seat ten and a bar area with under-counter beverage cooler and glass cabinets above. Now, the cook and guests can interact without getting in each others way, and the windows allow natural light to flow, uninterrupted, through the whole room.

The result? A space that was subdivided for the way people lived 50 years ago has been updated to work for the way Rita and Doug live today.

Best of all, says Doug, “Everybody told us, ‘Oh no, they won’t be done on time.’ And they were done ahead of schedule. Everybody said, ‘Oh, you’re going to end up spending twice as much as you budgeted.’ And no. They were on budget. The third thing is, like (Rita) said, is they listened to us. They took what we wanted and helped make it better.”

It’s that kind of listening, says Jim, that sets Case apart and earns Meta awards year after year. “We aren’t in this to do award-winning designs from a design perspective. We are in this to do great projects that 100 percent meet the goals the clients have in mind in all ways – aesthetics, function, and usability. That’s what Meta is about. This project won a platinum award, which is the highest level, because it’s such a great example of applying clients wants and need, not just the designers vision.”

To get award-winning ideas for your home or to register for a free Kitchen and Bath Remodeling Seminar, view Case Design/Remodeling information below: