Drury Design 2008/2009 Sub-Zero KDC Award Winning Kitchen by Tina Muller

Tina designed this striking  kitchen for her client in Glen Ellyn features custom Grabill Cabinetry along with a host of SubZero and Wolf products – perfect for preparing meals, entertaining and creating warm family memories.

Pictured from left - Gail Drury, CMKBD, Jim Drury & Tina Muller at the event

Sponsored by Chicago Home + Garden magazine, the KDC awards ceremony recognized three regional and three local midwest winners for Traditional, Transitional and Contemporary kitchen design.  Over 150 entries were judged by a panel of renowned kitchen designers.

The Big Moment

” We are so proud of Tina’s outstanding accomplishment in winning this award.  This is a beautiful kitchen and an outstanding example of what discerning clients have come to expect from Drury Design and our staff”.

“We started designing Sub-Zero / Wolf appliances into our client’s kitchen designs in 1987, and have been an authorized dealer since 2002.  They represent the very finest in appliance design, quality, technology and performance and we are proud of our association with Westye” – Gail Drury, CMKBD and President of Drury Design.  Drury Design’s client-focused design approach produces remarkable results for our clients.  Led by our acclaimed designers and supported by our dedicated team, Drury Design  is nationally recognized for home design.

For more information and images - see Chicago Magazine’s recap of the event, or contact Jim Drury at jim@drurydesigns.com.

(Event Photo Credit: Glen Kaupert / glennkaupert.com)

Alot of time is spent in the kitchen, bathroom and other areas in which the room’s décor is critical.  With today’s technologies, you can easily hide video screens and music speakers virtually anywhere.

There are  three main techniques used to hide televisions in these areas.

Built In TV's can go almost anywhere (FirstPoint Image)

Mirror TV’s –

Today’s mirror TVs boast fantastic picture quality.  When turned off, your bath or kitchen will have a fully functional mirror.  However, when turned on, the TV will fill some or most of the mirror area to display a TV image and can use built-in speakers or send audio to speakers installed elsewhere in the room.

Motorized lifts can add unique opportunities to mount TV's in the kitchen

Motorized lifts –

Especially effective in busy kitchens, a full line of motorized lifts can be used to hide your TV.  Drop down lifts can be used to hide the TV behind cabinets and then drop down when needed above the counter space.

Or, at the end of a counter or within an island, pop-up lifts can be employed to raise a TV from a hidden space when needed.  The TV can then also pivot for great viewing from all around the room.

HDTV's can be conealed with custom framed artwork

TV as a Work of Art -

In some locations, particularly above fireplaces in great rooms, or in master bedrooms, the stately décor and ambiance of the room can best be maintained through motorized artwork that conceals the flat panel television.

High definition screen prints of your family, custom artwork or custom frames are all available.  You can even replace the artwork over time as your family grows.

The dramatic color contrast and clean lines make this kitchen a timeless classic.

The Mission

This kitchen serves a very busy family of four.  The home located in the Aurora / Naperville area was built in the 1980’s and possessed a lot of desirable amenities; however, the layout of this kitchen was very tight and not functional for the family’s lifestyle.

“I felt like my designer really cared about my project and wanted it to be as beautiful as my husband and I did.”

The goals for this dramatic kitchen renovation were straight forward for this family of four:

• Open up a very “closed-in” kitchen to optimize traffic flow and use of space for family gatherings and entertaining
• Create an island with ample seating
• Transitional styling with dramatic yet classic color scheme and clean lines
• Create specific activity areas by strategically relocating the placement of the new appliances for optimum function and aesthetics
• Replace tile counter materials with granite
• Increase storage including space for collectibles and cookbooks

Before Image

The Challenge

The homeowners wanted more open space and a better traffic flow that would support a lot of people. Their wish list included a more dramatic color scheme and replacing their tile counter tops with smooth granite. Frequent entertaining dictated a 48” range, 42” refrigerator, microwave oven, dishwasher, and warming drawer. The refrigerator and wall ovens needed to be moved from the oddly angled wall that placed them in a major walkway.

A desk area was not needed; however, the client requested a designated message center to hide messy paperwork. In addition, she wanted ample display space for her cookbooks and collectibles. The biggest challenge on this project was including  all the appliances leaving adequate storage capacity in the cooking, baking, and clean-up zone.

The free standing hutch features glass doors, lighting and storage for collectables.

The Solution

The client also wanted as much seating at the island as possible, but overall space and pre-determined walkways dictated the actual size. The main sink, dishwasher, pull out wastebasket, microwave oven, and warming drawer are all housed in the island, keeping the cooking and baking zone separated from the traffic flow and lingering guests. The island seats 5 people comfortably and offers a great baking surface for the cook and homework area for the children. A decorative bookcase on the end displays favorite cookbooks and pottery and adds interest as the room is entered.

The former walled-in pantry and desk area were removed and the refrigerator, pantry, small coffee bar, and angled open display space took their place, allowing better access to these essential functions for the cook. The range stayed in the same location with ample storage for cookware. Drawers provide storage for  cutlery, spices and dishware, while upper cabinets store glassware on one side and cooking supplies on the other. The entire wall, with its off-white inset cabinetry, decorative hood, corbels, fluted trim, and subway-style natural stone back splash create a soft, but striking focal point.

The separate furniture-styled hutch includes lighted glass display cabinets. However, the client also uses it to store school papers and small appliances in addition to extra sets of decorative dishware and glasses.

Before Image

The original opening to the family room was on the breakfast nook end of the kitchen, however this location was not conducive to the desired traffic flow. The opening was closed up and a new arched opening was built across from the main part of the kitchen. This provides a wider walkway behind the new island and makes the entire kitchen appear more spacious. Now, when the owners are cooking, they can see directly into the family room, increasing their contact with guests.

The open plan of this kitchen facilitates entertaining and gathering.

The espresso-colored cherry cabinets on the pantry wall and hutch are contrasted by the soft white cabinetry of the range wall and island, and the rich, chocolate wood floors. The result is a simple, yet distinctive kitchen,  addressing all of the clients goals and is exactly what the client was hoping to achieve.

Materials List:

Cabinetry:The Grabill Cabinet Company

Door Style: Island & Hood -White Paint over Maple

Hutch & Pantry Wall – Espresso Stain over Cherry

Countertop Materials: Cashmere Gold, Granite

Appliances: 48” Wolf Dual Fuel Range w/Griddle

42” Kitchen Aid French Door Refrigerator

GE Microwave

Wolf Warming Drawer

Miele Dishwasher

Sink / Faucet: Blanco Sink / Kohler Faucet & Soap Dispenser

The compact and efficient work triangle leaves room for guests in the kitchen.

Client comments and commendation:

“It is Amazing – Our kitchen is perfect for our family. It’s beautiful as well as practical for children and an active family. My husband and I love our eleven foot island. It’s fabulous for food preparation, homework, and for entertaining a large crowd.”

“For anyone considering a major kitchen remodel, my advice would be to use a company like Drury who has one team working on your kitchen. I loved having the same crew at my home every day. We never had to wait for the plumber to show up, or wait for the electrician to come. Our kitchen crew did everything from plumbing to lighting. They took pride in their work because they were there from day one until completion.”

“Drury is a tough act to follow. They are excellent at returning phone calls and following up. My husband and I will always use Drury Design for all our major re-modeling projects. It was a pleasure working with Drury Design.”

Kerri Harter – Aurora / Naperville IL

-         For additional information or a referral list for our Chicagoland clients drop us a line below.

Gladys Schanstra, CKD / CBD discusses cabinet options with guest

Previous Workshop Recap: Kitchen Counseling – A Therapeutic Approach to Kitchen Design – Saturday, January 16th, 2010

This past Saturday, we hosted our Kitchen Counseling workshop by welcoming a dozen guests to our Glen Ellyn studio.

After a quick tour through the space, everyone assembled in our spacious conference room where a continental breakfast was served. Once we outlined the goals for the workshop, we then broke into groups, pairing guests one on one our designers, where they could review floor plans together. There, the designers were able to suggest and sketch new layout options, as well as explain what the next kitchen design steps might be to make these plans come to life.

Designer Terry Kenney discusses kitchen floor plan options with attending couple

By 10:00, the individual consultations were complete and everyone met back in the conference room for questions and answers and group discussion. Afterwards, we held the raffle we promised, and a full-service kitchen design retainer was awarded to a lucky couple from Hinsdale!

RSVP Today for the Next Workshop in February

To RSVP for the February workshop, please use the form below or call us at (630) 469-4980. You’re also allowed to bring a friend or spouse, but space is limited, so don’t forget to let us know you’re coming! Once you’ve responded, you’re invited to join us before the workshops at 8:30 am on Saturday, February 27, 2010 for coffee and breakfast goodies while you explore our inspiring vignettes. We look forward to seeing you then!

Sorry! The event is no longer excepting registrations at this time.

This is the simplest and most generous Sub-Zero / Wolf incentive program that we have ever been able to offer and it makes for an ideal time to talk to one of our designers about getting started on your Dream Kitchen and bringing the unrivaled benefits of Sub-Zero and Wolf Cooking Instruments to your home.

Here is what we know at this time about 2010 Sub-Zero / Wolf consumer incentive program:

• Begins March 1 – Ends Sept 31, 2010
• INSTANT rebate  (NO mail-in paperwork to hassle with)
• Savings start at $1,000 with a qualifying purchase of a full-size Sub-Zero refrigerator AND Wolf range or cooktop
• For each additional major piece, (not including microwaves), earn an additional $250 rebate

So, if you have a kitchen project in mind and want to include new Sub-Zero and Wolf professional cooking instruments, this promotion will certainly add value to your home!

Check out the latest in Sub-Zero and Wolf appliances in this HGTV Dream Home 2010 Giveaway video (for the 5^th year in a row, Sub-Zero and Wolf have been selected as the appliance brands of choice for 2010 HGTV Dream Home Giveaway). You can also enter daily for you chance to win at HGTV Dream Home 2010 Giveaway.

Again, if you’re interested in taking advantage of this great promotion for your kitchen design, call us today at (630) 469-4980 to schedule your complimentary consultation!