REFRESH

“Heron Plume” by SherwinWilliams

BEFORE

BEFORE & AFTER

Style Upgrade

Kitchen Tune-Up helps a Maumelle couple modernize their kitchen

WRITER TIFFANY ADAMS PHOTOGRAPHER RETT PEEK STYLIST STEPH SMITH

When Felecia Pleis married her husband, Ron, in 2008 and moved into his Maumelle home, the two made a few updates to the house to make it feel like theirs. However, she had bigger plans for the kitchen. “I love to entertain, and I really like dishes so I needed more storage; plus, I felt like the colors were dated and ready for a refresh,” Felecia says. Years later, with a vision in mind, the couple visited Susan Johnson at Kitchen Tune-Up to get advice on achieving their desired style and storage goals while maximizing their budget.

Reworking the floor plan was not an option, so the team got creative to give the couple more storage. For example, the Pleises opted to replace the upper cabinetry and extend it to the ceiling. They kept the existing base cabinets and reconfigured several, including those in the island, to become deep roll-out drawers that are easily accessible. “Before there was a lot of dead space and things would get lost easily, but now everything has a home,” Felecia says, noting many of the cabinets and drawers also have added organization features for items such as baking sheets and spices.

Ron had installed new granite countertops shortly before the couple were married and they were eager to retain these—as they were still in good condition. Working with this palette, Felecia says she was “drawn to a tuxedo look with darker, stained cabinets on the bottom and lighter, painted ones at the top.”

Updated appliances, including a new hood and smart range that can be operated from the couple’s phone or iPad, complete the renovation. “This is something I’ve wanted to do since I first stepped foot in this room, and we couldn’t be happier with the end result,” Felecia says. “This kitchen really highlights the many options you have when it comes to a makeover. You don’t always have to pull everything out and start from scratch; you can look at each element and make decisions based on time, budget, and style to get what you envision,” Susan says.

CENTRAL PERK The Pleises added one wall of cabinetry in a space that previously held an armoire. They were concerned about finding a slab of granite to match their existing countertops; however, a trip to All Natural Stone proved to be fruitful when they found a perfect-match remnant. The space is now a destination for coffee thanks to a single-cup brewer and an Italian Elektra espresso coffee machine, which Ron discovered and first purchased while stationed abroad.

BEFORE

“Before there was a lot of dead space and things would get lost easily, but now everything has a home.”

—Felecia Pleis, homeowner

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CAFFEINE ORGANIZED One of Felecia’s favorite features of the renovation is the built-in organization, such as the single-use coffee pod holder inside the cabinetry drawer.

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A NEW SHINE Glass subway tiles in a soft gray hue cover the backsplash area and extend up the wall around the kitchen sink, which Susan notes makes the room feel taller and more spacious.

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GO FOR THE GOLD Sleek gold hardware was chosen to coordinate with the existing countertops as well as the mix of stained and painted cabinets. “It gives such a fresh, updated look,” Susan says.

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ABOUT FACE New door fronts updated the kitchen’s base cabinets without the expense of installing all new cabinetry. Their rich chocolate stain coordinates with the granite countertop.

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Design Resources KITCHEN DESIGN Susan Johnson, Kitchen Tune-Up APPLIANCES Metro Appliances & More CABINETRY AND HARDWARE Kitchen Tune-Up COUNTERTOPS All Natural Stone PAINT Sherwin-Williams TILE (BACKSPLASH) Acme Brick, Tile & Stone