Physical Address
304 North Cardinal St.
Dorchester Center, MA 02124
These Bellevue, Washington, homeowners wanted a kitchen that was as fun and relaxed as they were—full of color, pattern, and personality. For 18 years, they lived with a small, dark U-shaped kitchen with honey oak cabinets and no island, which was not a source of joy in their 1979 transitional home. The dining area had great light but was cut off by a peninsula. With one son in college and another in high school, the couple was ready for something brighter, more open and designed for gatherings, complete with a spacious island, ample storage and a few surprises.
To help bring their vision to life—and rethink the unused formal dining room off the kitchen—they turned to designer Erin Etchemendi of 31E Designs and Houzz photos for inspiration. Removing the peninsula and dining room wall expanded the area by 121 square feet, making room for a long, custom island detailed with colorful porcelain tile. The walnut and quartzite top gives a unique twist to the light blue the island base, while engineered wood floors and flat white oak cabinets warm the space. Horizontally stacked rectangular tiles add texture and movement, completing a bright kitchen full of character.
after: Ecemendi removed the peninsula, cabinets, counters and flooring, then knocked down a former wall to absorb the unused dining area, expanding the kitchen from 110 to 231 square feet. “They didn’t really use the formal dining room, and they had this other dining room,” Echemendi says. “We eliminated a room they weren’t using while keeping the eating area, both in the eating area and on the new island.”
The spacious island measures 3 feet, 2 inches wide and 14 feet, 6 inches long and has light blue cabinets and flat-top drawers – including a filling drawer – plus open shelves for cookbooks. The top combines Sealed Walnut and Blue Lava Quartzite, the latter a stunning stone with a cool blue background and deep blue and orange veining. “They wanted to incorporate a tree, but I didn’t think it would be a good idea to make a walnut tree all over the island,” Echemendi says. “This way they have a place to put hot pots or other items and not worry about it. It’s also just a cool feature. They just wanted to do something that was different and unique.”
The island’s light blue color contrasts with white oak cabinetry around the perimeter with flat panels in a honey pecan finish. Engineered oak floors with 7½-inch sanded and smoked planks add more warmth. “They didn’t want to be sterile and be white or be overwhelmed by a bunch of colors,” Echemendi says. “Adding wood gives a warm backdrop to the bright colors.”
The newly opened kitchen flows into the updated dining room with new built-ins baras well as a refreshed family room with a new fireplace surround and built-ins. LED recessed ceiling lights provide flexible lighting. Homeowners skipped island pendant lights to keep the focus on the backsplash. “They were worried that the pendants would get in the way of that,” Echemendi says. “But it’s wired in case they want to add pendants in the future.”
Find kitchen remodelers near you
Encaustic-looking porcelain tiles in a mix of vibrant patterns wrap around one section of the island base, adding a playful hit of color and texture. “It was actually a request from the client,” Echemendi says. “They both love color. When they saw this tile, they kind of fell in love.”
Tiles: Tangier Decos, Surface Art
Before and after: 4 remodeled kitchens from 150 to 250 square feet
By extending the kitchen into the former dining room, Etchemendi was able to move the range to the sink wall and create an adjacent pantry and fridge wall with an integrated drinks station and a French door fridge that fits seamlessly into the cupboard. “Functionally, this allows them to keep a lot of the food they use regularly on hand,” she says. “They also have additional storage off the entry hall that used to be their laundry room. Polished marble quartz countertops around the perimeter add a light, durable and elegant touch.”
Paint colors: Egret White (walls and ceiling) and Pure White (frames), Sherwin-Williams
See why you should hire a professional who uses Houzz Pro software
The new 30-inch dual-fuel range features four burners and a custom drywall hood accented with a white oak strip. “We had extra wood paneling for the cabinets and used it for the hood paneling,” Ecemendi says.
An upgraded double sink stainless steel sink is paired with a no-touch pull-down faucet, flanked by a dishwasher to the right and a trash and recycling pullout to the left. The backsplash, made from 2 x 10-inch gray-toned horizontal boards with a glossy finish, adds subtle texture and visual height. “They really liked the idea of having a bit of physical texture on the tile, but not having it be overwhelming,” Echemendi says. “We found a tile set with a flat gloss finish and a stacked step pattern that just adds more character to the long, continuous wall.”
The inside corner to the right of the sink has floating wooden shelves for decorative items, with a toaster located off the main counter. “It’s going to be interesting trying to figure out how to put a cabinet with a window so close in there,” Echemendi says. “This creates a unique feature with open shelving.”
Backsplash tile: Lighthouse in Mist, United Tile
Here’s a look at the drink station tucked into the pantry wall. The top shelf houses the microwave, while the drawer below holds the coffee maker and supplies. “It was just to put it all behind closed doors, to avoid busy counters,” Echemendi says. “There are pull-out drawers underneath for their tea and coffee, so it creates a one-stop place for those items.”
Flat black hardware in various shapes and sizes add flair to the pantry, the fridge wall and the rest of the cabinetry. “These clients are unique and different,” Echemendi says. “A pantry wall can be very overwhelming, but bringing in different accents helped break it up.”
Flat black hardware in various shapes and sizes add flair to the pantry, the fridge wall and the rest of the cabinetry. “These clients are unique and different,” Echemendi says. “A pantry wall can be very overwhelming, but bringing in different accents helped break it up.”
before: This opening once separated the living room (front) from the formal dining room (back). “They wanted to open two spaces,” says Etchemendi. “They didn’t really use that living room.”
after: Widening the opening creates a smoother flow between the updated living room and remodeled kitchen, making the kitchen feel more open and connected. “This improved floor plan puts a large, bright kitchen at the center of everything,” says Echemendi. “We managed to create a space that is nice and open, but not too grandiose.”
More about Houzz
Read more kitchen stories
Browse photos of the kitchen
Hire a handyman to remodel your kitchen
More about Houzz
Read more kitchen stories
Browse photos of the kitchen
Hire a handyman to remodel your kitchen
Kitchen at a glance
Who lives here: A couple with a son in college and the other in high school
Location: Bellevue, Washington
Size: 231 square meters (21 square meters)
Designer: Erin Echemendi from 31E Designs
before: This photo, taken from the doorway of an unused dining room, shows a dated 110-square-foot kitchen with honey oak cabinets, no hardware, granite counters, and a cool tile floor. “They definitely wanted to get rid of it,” Echemendi says. “They must have wanted to warm up the space.”
Upper cabinets above the peninsula separate the kitchen from the dining area and family room, making the already narrow space even smaller and darker. A wall separated the kitchen from the dining room, while a stainless steel refrigerator jutted awkwardly across from the sink. “It felt cramped, and the organization – or lack thereof – was a problem,” Echemendi says.
One bright spot: the large fixed window above the sink. The homeowners loved natural light and wanted to make it a bigger feature in the new design.