Never mind the den, the great room, the formal living room or the parlor. For most people, the kitchen is the hub of the home. It’s where families and friends convene for just about everything.
What was once a utilitarian necessity is now a showpiece, if not the home’s signature room. And if your kitchen looks and feels dated, tired or worse, it’s probably time for a makeover.
“If your kitchen is no longer functional, if you don’t want guests to see it or if you’ve stopped loving it for any reason, that’s when it’s time to get it redone,” says Pam Jordan, owner of kitchen refacing/remodeling contractor EatGatherLove.
If you need additional or stacked cabinets, or if your cabinets just need to be refaced, Pam and her husband Gary (a licensed contractor) will help you find the best solution for your kitchen. Their team will also install new countertops and refit appliances. When it’s all said-and-done, they’ll help you reimagine your kitchen into a space that beckons all to eat, gather and celebrate
their love of living.
An interior decorator by trade, Jordan listens to her clients to get a sense of their wants and needs (she says curating images from Pinterest is a great starting point), then works within their budget to execute a remodel that’s a manifestation of their vision. A recent example was the remodel a small 1950s kitchen in a Crieve Hall home that’s featured here. “This home is not very big, it’s close to 70 years old and it had not been remodeled ever,” says Jordan. “The dishwasher had been added and it was just kind of a hodgepodge. The owner was not going to move so a new kitchen was a must. My task was to open this very small space and bring it into this century.” But to do that, Jordan had to work within rigid parameters involving sustainability issues, construction codes and financial concerns.
“People see glamorous, beautiful kitchens but you have to work within the space,” says Jordan. “In this case, she had a budget, but it was not carte blanche; about $18,000 to $20,000. And she wanted to keep her cabinets because removing them would have required, by code, a test for lead abatement, which would’ve driven up the cost.” Taking all of that into consideration, Jordan crafted a design proposal within the allotted budget and, with her client’s approval, went to work.
The EatGatherLove team found that they were able to reface and refresh the cabinets from their original dark-stained condition. New lighting fixtures were a must, including can lights in the ceiling. Next to go was the square tile countertops. Paint colors were selected for the walls and pantry doors. The team even freshened the inside of the pantry with a thorough cleaning followed by painting the shelves.
From start to finish, the job took three weeks which, Jordan says, is about the norm. “Most jobs change; usually with things being added,” she says. “The more add-ons, the longer it takes to get out, but that’s OK. A kitchen remodel is a big emotional and financial commitment, and it has to be done right.”
Jordan says that the client and her husband are ecstatic with the transformation. “In the days and weeks following the job she sent me texts nearly every day telling me how much she loves it,” says Jordan. “When it all comes together and they get so excited because their kitchen works and it enhances their quality of life, it’s very gratifying.” EatGatherLove.com
