12 square feet was all they had to add - kitchen remodeling

Sunset, Jan, 1989

Modernizing a kitchen often means not only updating appliances and work surfaces but also adding a space where everyone can gather without getting in the cook's way In this Seattle remodel, Clayton O'Brien-Smith of GGLO Architects added only 12 square feet to the old kitchen" but the owners gained a minimum-footstep work area as well as space to serve breakfast or have a friend over for coffee.

O'Brien-Smith relocated the rear entry and some interior walls while retaining the house's sense of room definition and enclosure. He made room for a bright breakfast area (looking out on the garden), a new entry with adjoining telephone area, mud room, pantry, and half-bath. Being frugal with added space left room in the budget for top-quality details like the decorative ceiling molding and a stainless steel pot rack and exhaust fan. To update the kitchen, O'Brien-Smith divided it lengthwise by installing an island with gas cooktop and storage for mixing bowls and cooking appliances. Refrigerator, sink, and stacked ovens line up across from the island in an elongated version of the classic work triangle; a bank of cupboards and counter space fill the opposite wall.