Traditional homes are one of our specialties, and while they may have gorgeous features, they don’t always have the most spectacular layouts. That’s why we love working on remodel projects like this one we completed for the Briscoe family.
Molly Briscoe says it was our rainy Pacific Northwest climate that finally persuaded her to remodel her home. She and her husband Brisco dreamed of reconfiguring her cumbersome kitchen layout, but what they really needed was a new mudroom for the busy Briscoe family.
Molly came to Right Angle Construction with her dilemma, and we immediately what needed to be done.
The Old Layout
The way the old Briscoe home was laid out, the family had to squeeze through the back utility door, one person at a time, to take off coats, boots and the other messy rain-drenched winter layers.
Leveraging the Space
We stepped in to solve this congestion problem. Leveraging the home’s existing space, we moved the back door entrance to the office, which became a nicely sized mudroom with a covered porch. Molly loves the porch feature, “It’s like having another room added onto the house!” The mudroom is spacious enough to double as an office.
We moved the kitchen bathroom to an unused space at the back of the house, opening up the kitchen and allowing for what Molly describes as “a super cozy eat-in bench.” Suddenly the kitchen had a more intuitive flow that made it feel fresh and spacious.
Preserving the Traditional Charm
The home is traditional, and the Briscoe didn’t want to lose that charm as the house was updated, but they also wanted more continuity between the front and back sides of the house. Molly says she loves how the project met that goal. “I love the light and our new windows. I can sit in the kitchen family room and look all the way out the front window of the house. When you enter the front door, it’s immediately evident how to get to the kitchen or the back of the house – all without jogging around corners like we used to have to do.”
While remodeling the kitchen we built a new pantry. “It is so pretty.” Molly says, “I almost didn’t want to put food it in. I could have used it as an office!”
Easy Family Life During Construction
This was a big remodel project, one the Briscoe family was living amidst, and Molly says it all went very smoothly. “The RAC team was great to work with and very clean. They asked what we needed for our temporary kitchen and set up a great system with a stove, sink and shelves to make the kitchen functional even during construction. They cleaned up every evening to make sure the kids weren’t walking through dust or nails.”
The First Dinner in Their New Kitchen
And perhaps the icing on the cake? Molly says, ”Your team finished the project exactly on schedule. As Darin and team were taking down the temporary wall and hauling away supplies, my mother in law was pulling up to come and stay with us. We cooked our first meal that very same night. It was almost surreal to sit down in our brand new kitchen.”
The Verdict
Now that some months have passed and the family has had time to settle into the home, what do they think? Molly says it’s exactly what they wanted. “We love to entertain in our kitchen and have already enjoyed large crews of people around our kitchen island. I love to sit around our cozy bench seats and our lovely warm old table that Tom’s crew cut down to fit in the new space.”
Let’s Have Coffee!
Do you have a home layout that’s not what you dream of? We’d love to come see it and talk ideas through with you. Drop us a line today!
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