Homes truly hold family memories, and kitchens have always been the popular gathering place for creating those moments.
Meet Anna. Her home has been newly remodeled with Wolf Home Products and she’s sharing her story of how her newly transformed kitchen is already creating new memories.
Anna is a teacher and mother of three located on the coast of Maryland. Two years ago, Anna and her family moved into their charming neighborhood and she decided to remodel their kitchen to create their new favorite space. From family gatherings to homework and everything in between, their new kitchen has quickly become the heart of the home. It’s where they share meals and bond as a family. We had the opportunity to ask Anna about her remodel experience and here’s what she had to say.
What inspired you to remodel?
Two years ago, we moved into a charming neighborhood by the water. Our 1960’s home had great bones, but the kitchen was original, with a dated design that lacked storage and an efficient layout. It had limited cabinetry, 7 ft high ceilings with fluorescent lighting, and no space available for an eat-in kitchen. It felt dark and closed in.
Our vision was to create a more open and airy space by combining the kitchen and dining rooms with widened doorways. This was the first kitchen where we were able to create the design from scratch. We wanted an island as the focal point with enough seating to fit our family of five and entertain guests. We paid homage to the coastal feel of our neighborhood by keeping it white with neutral accents.
How has this remodel changed how your family uses the space?
This renovation using Wolf Classic Cabinets has truly transformed our kitchen into a family space. The kitchen is now our favorite gathering place in our home. We use our kitchen for everything from eating our everyday meals to crafts and game night. The extra cabinetry storage space allows us to house so many things that go beyond kitchen essentials. Although I like to cook, I was most excited about having all the Wolf cabinetry to store additional things I am passionate about like literary and home décor. Next to our pantry the spaces are filled with books, puzzles, magnetic letters, paint, playdough, and stamps – everything is within reach. I also store many of the little seasonal touches that make our house a home such as vases, glass jars, florals, and baskets.
Can you share a special memory since the remodel that took place in the space?
Our first gathering was our son’s 4th birthday party – a big deal for our toddler. We used kitchen layout to make a grand entrance to his shark-themed adventure. Originally, we had planned to have the event outside, but it was a rainy, cold day and we were so thankful to have the newly designed beautiful kitchen space to entertain and decorate to make him feel special. Our white Wolf cabinets provided a perfect backdrop for our indoor relocation.
Do you entertain in the space? What was the last family gathering or happening you hosted?
We’re big football fans (Go Ravens!) and often invite friends and family over for football Sunday. Our new Wolf kitchen is perfect for displaying different food + drink stations while entertaining our guests. Last winter to celebrate my husband’s birthday, we had a beer tasting party with of our friends and neighbors. We used the space for many of the party essentials like the beer display, appetizers, and drink station.
Everyone knows the kitchen is the heart of the home, what are some of the activities that go on in yours?
Every morning our children start their day at our island eating breakfast. Our newest family member (an 8-month-old black lab), Tucker, also loves to join in. In the evenings we make it a priority to have a family dinner at the island so we can discuss the day. In between breakfast and dinner, we use the island for an array of things like e-learning, arts and crafts, and games.
Even with all the activity in our kitchen, our new Wolf Classic cabinets are easy to clean, which is huge bonus to the beautiful design.
How has having a newly remodeled space transformed your home?
The space feels completely refreshed after completing the kitchen renovation with Wolf Home Products. There is more flow in the floorplan and our home is much more functional for our family of five. The higher ceilings, white cabinetry, and crown moulding make the room feel even larger than it is. We also put a fresh coat of paint on the entire first floor and did the German Schmear technique to our fireplace to brighten the entire living area. To finish the kitchen, we added many finishes touches like rattan lighting and coastal hues to remind us of our love for the water and the outdoors. It makes for a seamless transition between our indoor and outdoor life. We spend so much time outside that coming home to a place that feels so connected to our surroundings adds such a sense of cohesion in our lives. The natural textures and nature hues that we added to the space In addition to the beautiful cabinetry we love how we were able to personalize the space with corner open shelving, a wood trimmed hood, and an oversized island with enough seating for five.
How has having a new space during COVID positively affected your family?
Our kitchen is our happy place and we have been so thankful for the extra time at home to bond as a family. Having this extra space has made a huge difference with two teachers working at home and three kids attending to e-Learning. Whether it be for an extra learning environment or “break space” between classes there is always one of us utilizing the space. We’ve also enjoyed working together to try new recipes (the kids love to bake and make smoothies)!
Would you recommend Wolf cabinetry to a friend?
Absolutely! We were determined to carry out our vision within a budget but did not want to sacrifice an ounce of beauty, quality or durability and were so happy to discover Wolf Cabinets after visiting 84 Lumber. I loved the clean and classic lines of the Dartmouth cabinets and the fact that we could design the space to fit our needs without overpaying for custom cabinetry. When building our island, we used two adjoining cabinets and the Wolf side panels in combination with other premade table legs and were able to incorporate this focal point at a fraction of the price of a custom island. After a year of constant use, we couldn’t be happier with the durability and functionality of the cabinets/drawers. Having grown up in Lancaster, PA I also love the fact that Wolf started as a locally owned business that has now grown across the country.
