THE KITCHEN  As in most older apartment buildings, the existing kitchen was dark and enclosed, with very little visual connection to the rest of the home.  Before renovation, the end wall next to the refrigerator, the hanging cabinet on the opposite wall, and the solid wall behind the sink limited natural light from entering the kitchen. The brown wooden veneer of the cabinets, typical in apartments of this era, made the space even more drab and dreary.

The renovation of the small 8′x 9′ space opened the kitchen up dramatically by removing non-structural walls, eliminating all of the upper cabinets, and creating a wide island with bar seating and a sleek contemporary work space, all of which helped provide direct visual access to the living room, the repositioned dining area, and the rest of the apartment. The kitchen is now open, bright, and cheery with lots of natural light and expanded views of Pikes Peak and surrounding neighborhoods. The contemporary design elements of the kitchen includes quartz countertops, black granite tile (extended in from the adjacent Entry Hall), glass tile backsplash, european cabinets, a Thermadore 24′ column refrigerator, an 18-inch Bosch dishwasher, a Miele Speed Oven and Convection Cooktop, and a Franke glass-surrounded stainless steel double sink. A bold wall of red provides a splash of color that extends into the sitting area, and a strip of blue neon livens up the space for those special parties. The kitchen island, which includes a small cantilevered bar for two, serves as a great center for gatherings, and the open design makes for a contemporary,fun, urban space. The unique perforated metal soffit over the island provides not only an opportunity for recessed spot-lighting, but it also conceals one of the building’s roof drains (perforated so that any leak in the roof drain can be readily detected before major damage can occur!). The former dining area is now a sitting area … an excellent place for enjoying coffee or reading the newspaper, with lots of natural light from the morning sun. To expand the space even further, the original 5′ x 12′ eastern terrace was enclosed with glass windows and panels, providing an area for additional seating and display. The new dining area is located at the end of the expanded living room in order to better enjoy the mountain views.