Total Transformation

Written by Staff

Old Kitchen When we last saw the Jarvis’, they were anxiously anticipating the demolition of their existing kitchen. We have all seen it – the standard issue suburban home kitchen. The one in the Jarvis home came complete with blue walls, Formica countertops, white appliances, and a rather inconvenient center island housing the cook top. Pots and pans hung on the walls because there was no space for them in the lackluster cabinetry. Cooking in the kitchen was an endless circuit around the island, and if there were two people in the room there was one too many.

But Mrs. Jarvis had a vision. She dreamed of natural wood cabinets, stone countertops, space to entertain in the kitchen and of having room for more than one chef. Enter Matt Chapman of Cabinets & Interiors, Inc. As we previously saw, Matt and his staff provide a one-stop shop for design and decorating details. Matt also acts as project manager, creating a timeline where everything flows smoothly, and ironing out any bumps that may occur along the way.

The Jarvis family’s quest for a more useful kitchen began with several weeks of planning, from the selection of appliances, cabinets, counters and floors, to preparing to live without a functioning kitchen for several weeks. At least a week was given to storing most of the contents of the kitchen, leaving out only the bare essentials. A makeshift kitchen in the dining room included the microwave and disposable utensils and plates on a folding table, with the lone refrigerator drifting from spot to spot as the flooring was put in place. “When the demolition began, and the kitchen was disassembled, we moved into the dining room. We were excited to watch our dream kitchen transform, and Matt made sure we were amply prepared to deal with the inconvenience,” notes Mrs. Jarvis. Vision of New Kitchen

A major renovation will entail design, demolition, flooring, electrical, plumbing, and finally the installation of cabinets, counters and appliances. Timing is everything, so Matt arranged for demolition to commence once the new cabinets arrived to minimize any delays between stages of construction. “We try to ensure our client is inconvenienced as little as possible. Once we know the product has shipped from the manufacturer we can plan for the demolition,” he said. Authorized Builder Sales’ Sherry Knoblauch agrees with the timing, stating, “Appliances should be delivered about the time the cabinets are delivered so that when the installer begins he has all products at the jobsite.”

Demolition only took a couple days and then the detail work began. Cabinets & Interiors arranged for professional electricians, plumbers, and their own master carpenter, Alan, who oversees the placement of the plumbing and electricity to ensure that the final product matches the design plans. Along the way Alan recommended outlet placement, dimming options for lighting, and other things that the average homeowner doesn’t think about until it is too late…when they wish they had done it.

For flooring, the Jarvis’ chose Countryside Carpets and Interiors. Owner Todd Schoolfield guided them through the enormous selection of flooring, where they finally selected a porcelain tile in multiple sizes to be placed randomly. In considering the tight timeline, they were reassured by Todd that “most materials can be received in our warehouse within 4-6 business days, and can typically be installed within 7-10 days.”

New Kitchen

Installed by Prestige Interiors, the imported Italian porcelain tile was chosen to reflect the rich tones of the knotty cherry wood cabinets. “Mrs. Jarvis was interested in randomly set tiles, to create a natural feel. Although a random setting may seem ‘easier’, in fact this may take slightly more installation time. We have to be very aware of the overall look of the floor, and that can take a bit more time. Our goal is to make the customer happy with the final product. This will be a beautiful floor when it is complete,” says owner Gary Hoffmann. The tile floor was installed in about a week, and the base cabinets took another two days. With the base cabinets set, it was time to get the counters prepared.

During the design stage, Designer Sharon Chapman, owner of C&I, took the Jarvis’ to Global Granite and Marble, one of several local product importers, and helped them select granite slabs with a suede finish. The texture of this specific finish helped maintain the natural look and feel of the space and does not show fingerprints, as a smooth finish would. The slabs were then ordered and shipped from Brazil then delivered to Marble & Granite Worldwide, the countertop fabricators. All of this in preparation for the day when they would be custom cut and fit to their new home.

Once Alan gave the go ahead, M&GWW came to template the countertop. ensuring a perfect fit. When asked about the benefits of using a local countertop fabricator, M&GWW Owner Ken Kreisch noted, “After we template your cabinets, you can come back to our facility and align them on the slab and choose what parts you want to use.” As Alan continued to hang the wall cabinets, Mrs. Jarvis anxiously awaited the arrival of the countertop, which took about a week. “I just love the feel of the granite. Sometimes I can’t help but ‘pet’ my new counters!” exclaims Mrs. Jarvis.

New Kitchen There are more choices than ever, and homeowners who are remodeling are able to find durable natural stones that fit their style and budget. “Because of its inherent durability and natural beauty, granite is a low maintenance choice of kitchens,” states David Havens, owner of Global Granite and Marble. He continues, “We do recommend the use of an impregnating sealer, which penetrates the surface of the stone to close of the tiny capillary openings, creating a long-lasting seal which makes the countertop easier to clean and protects it from staining.”

With all of the cabinets set, countertop and tile backsplash installed, and the electrical work complete the kitchen began to take shape. Finishing touches such as window treatments, cabinet hardware, light fixtures, and installation of the appliances took another week. And then suddenly, it was done. In total, about five weeks from the first sound of ripping away trim and cabinets from the wall, to the big finish. The transformation was amazing, and Mrs. Jarvis’ vision became a reality – the once cold, narrow kitchen had become a warm, beautiful and inviting space to enjoy. At a recent dinner party to christen the new kitchen, Mrs. Jarvis beamed when she realized that there were 8 people wandering around, but no one was underfoot!

“We couldn’t be more thrilled! I was truly amazed that the same physical space could feel so much larger. We increased cabinet storage, usability and of course the overall beauty of the space. We couldn’t have asked for more. We just love it,” gushes Mrs. Jarvis.

Be Prepared:

There will be a lot of dust. Keeping things covered will help, but there will still be clean-up after the job is finished.
Have your contractor install a temporary sink if needed. You want to make sure you have access to a sink, even if you are using disposable dishes.
Keep your pets safe. Doors will be opened and closed often, and there could be things lying around they may try to eat or step on.
There will be delays. Trust your project manager or contractor to get things back on track.

Saint Charles Magazine would like to thank the Jarvis Family, Authorized Builder Sales, Cabinets & Interiors, Countryside Carpets & Interiors, Global Granite, Marble & Granite Worldwide and Prestige Interiors for allowing us to chronicle the transformation of the kitchen.
Typically major kitchen renovations in the Midwest area recoup 70-80 percent of their cost upon resale. Total cost of this renovation was approximately $50,000.