Running
the Numbers
The owner of this Whitefish Bay Colonial did his due diligence
before he bought his house in April 2008, looking at dozens of
properties with the help of his Realtor, Shorewest’s Kate Kenlay.
"I wasn’t sold on it right away because the kitchen and baths
were so outdated," the homeowner says. After Kenlay introduced
him to architectural designer Peter Wells of Wells Design and his
interior-designer wife, Marianne Kohlmann of Blue Hot Design, the
homeowner began to see the home’s possibilities. "I had
drawings in my hand before I even closed on the house," he says.
Kitchen renovations included removing a wall that separated the
kitchen from the dinette. "We wanted to make it a bigger,
brighter space," Kohlmann says, "one that is pleasant to
cook in and entertain in." The owner, who travels extensively as
a partner at a Big 4 accounting firm, says he cooks every night he is
at home. "In my house prior to this one, I did carry out every
night." Looking at the investment from a numbers perspective, the
owner estimates he would have spent between $50,000 to $100,000 more
for a similar house in move-in condition. One of his favorite features
in the kitchen is the 10-foot-long Iroko wood countertop, a perfect
place for friends to gather, set up a laptop or watch the flat screen
TV.
Peaceful
Continuity
The views inside this newly remodeled kitchen in Chenequa are as
stunning as the glorious views of Pine Lake beyond. Residential
designer Jeff Schmidt of JLS Designs in Milwaukee worked in concert
with the homeowner to orchestrate the extensive face-lift of the
English Georgian home. "The homeowner and I agreed that we wanted
to use elements that were more architecturally pure with the style of
the house," Schmidt says. Cream-colored custom birch cabinets
replaced the old mint green 1950s St. Charles cabinetry. The Crown
City hardware is a reproduction of polished chrome antique freezer
latches. The island is built out of reclaimed pine and the top is
end-grain maple butcher block in small parquet style cuts. "We
chose the butcher block because we felt we wanted the island to be
more of a focal point and look more like an antique piece of
furniture," Schmidt says. The countertops are Ann Sacks Israeli
Blue Limestone and the floor is Eastern Amber limestone installed by
Dragon Fly in Milwaukee. A helpful addition to the room is the ladder,
which gives the homeowner easy access to the upper cabinets.
Urban
Aesthetic
When Mike and Abbey Line moved from their Third Ward condo to the
suburbs, they didn’t leave behind their urban sense of style. For
the better part of two years they have been renovating their Bayside
ranch home to reflect their minimalist design sensibilities. The
kitchen is the most dramatic interpretation of that with its Glacier
White Corian countertops and island, and contrasting white glass and
mocha-stained wood cabinets. Abbey’s sister, an architect in
Chicago, drew up the plans; construction work was completed by
Dwelling Renovations in Grafton. The galley-style kitchen and laundry
room were gutted and additional space was gleaned for the cabinetry
from a closet in the dining room. "We wanted to make sure we had
enough storage," she says. "That is something we were
missing in the Third Ward." Her favorite element of the
award-winning kitchen is the spa green honed slate floor. The Lines
had originally picked out something different but were concerned about
how it would wear, particularly during the sloppy winter months. Her
sister suggested the natural stone, which Line says sparkles like a
starry sky. "It’s pretty amazing stone. I wouldn’t change it
for the world."
Farmhouse
Modern
Appearances can be deceiving when it comes to Richard and Jeanette
Weinz’s town of Merton home. A pleasant yellow farmhouse greets
visitors when they pull in the driveway, but a contemporary kitchen
with unique materials, finishes, modern amenities and a funky island
await when they walk in the door. The Weinz kitchen boasts
top-of-the-line appliances, and interior-features galore inside the
cabinets, including a hidden message center, chrome pullouts for
spices and storage, built-in knife wood insert in the concrete
countertop, and custom metal artistic touches that the Weinz’s made
themselves. Large corrugated metal pieces installed by Richard Weinz,
line the ceiling and front of the island to create a focal point when
entering the room. The OAR Group in Elm Grove used custom cabinetry
with a custom stain matched to the owner’s sample — a chocolate
brown with a hint of plum. Weinz also made the stainless steel hood,
countertop supports and the flip-up stainless steel panel for a
cabinet door. Multiple countertop surfaces were combined using
engineered quartz in a mustard color that highlights the 48-inch long
meandering Elkay Mystic entertainment sink on the island. Quartz and
concrete are used for the three-tier space with the elevated bar area
as well as the perimeter tops. Jeanette Weinz says she collected ideas
through the years that she wanted to use in her kitchen. When
Stephanie Quinn of the OAR Group asked Weinz what she wanted to
include in the space, she handed her book of ideas over and said,
"All of this!"
Mission
Accomplished
When John and Nancy O’Donnell bought their town of Cedarburg home
in 1997, they remodeled everything but the kitchen. More than a decade
later, they decided it was time for a kitchen redo. They worked with
the architect who had done the original remodel, Jim Chambers of FWC
Architects, and kitchen designer Tove Kenyon of B&E General
Contractors. "We have a living room, a large family room in the
basement and plenty of other areas in the house, but everyone
congregates in our kitchen," Nancy O’Donnell says. To
accommodate, she wanted to eliminate the dining room, but she says her
husband wasn’t in favor of it. After consulting with a Realtor, she
gave up on the idea. The newly configured space still works
beautifully for entertaining, she says. Special features of the
kitchen include a wine captain in the granite-topped center island,
semi-custom maple cabinets and an arts and crafts style wood range
hood. O’Donnell says she wasn’t a cook for most of her life, but
now that she is retired she is inspired by her new kitchen. "I’m
learning and having a great time," she says.
A
Forest Feel
There is an open flow, yet areas between the dining room and
kitchen in Mike and Ellyn Helberg’s Oconomowoc home remain distinct.
The French Country style is highlighted with the soft green-colored
walls and white moulding, and lends a fresh, organic feel to the
space. The forest green granite countertops contrast with the antique
white cabinets. The pattern tile behind the stove adds a nice element
to the space. Mike Helberg, owner of Helberg Homes, worked with
Tiffany Peirick of Peirick’s Kitchen & Bath Cabinets in
Watertown on the overall design of the kitchen. The jars above the
stove are antique tobacco jars that Mike Helberg collects; it is one
of the largest collections in the Midwest. Several of the copper pots
hanging above the island are Helberg’s family heirlooms. His mother
is from Finland and several of the pots are from Europe dating back
more than 300 years. A butler’s pantry on the left provides
additional storage and a prep area while entertaining guests. M