This custom built-in display case was designed to blend with the kitchen cabinetry. Inset doors, a granite serving counter, adjustable glass shelving and low voltage LED lighting were some of the touches that make this piece unique. Electrical outlets, a cable TV and phone jacks were also incorporated for maximum flexibility of use. The cost for this piece was actually less than the owner was quoted for a standard store-bought unit without the custom features.
“Building our vacation dream home 1,000 miles away was stressful enough, but after our contractor went out of business it had the potential of being a full-blown disaster. Norm stepped-in and took over our project. He was able to pull together the town building inspector and other subcontractors to complete in a just a few short months what had been in process for over 2 years.”
Alan Kousen, Williamstown,MA & Raleigh, NC
(interior and exterior trim and finish work on a 5,000 sq ft home)
New Kitchen:
This galley kitchen was a major transformation from the dark little 1970's vintage corner kitchen that was previously in the home. An interior wall was removed to enlarge the kitchen space and all wiring and plumbing was updated to current codes. The cabinets were designed to reflect a piece of furniture the owner enjoyed and were fabricated using solid wood and finished in a period-appropriate color. We salvaged antique chestnut barnboards for the counter top and slate from a barn roof for the backsplash. Vermont soapstone counters flank the stove.
Major Kitchen Rehab:
This was a kitchen remodel in a former rental property. As you can see in the top photo, years of use and abuse by tenants had pretty much rendered the kitchen an unsightly train wreck. Due to budget constraints ripping out and replacing the cabinets was a 'no go'. I started by removing and repairing all the doors, drawers and hardware, rebuilding or replacing pieces that were too far gone. I then prepped and painted the cabinets and re-installed everything. Of course the walls were stripped and redone, a new countertop, and new sink & faucet were also installed. A stainless steel backsplash was fabricated to fit and undercabinet lighting was incorporated.
After it was completed, there was enough money left in the budget to install a dishwasher (previously, there wasn't one). The counter height was just a bit too low for to fit a standard dishwasher so I had to cut and rebuild the cabinet opening to accept a Fisher-Paykel dish drawer. Through-out the project the home owner was able to save some money by doing phases of the demolition or picking-up materials, in the end the money saved on the sweat equity enabled them to bring the project in on budget with a few nice extras.
