“She makes a great chicken dish with balsamic and olive oil. “Lisa is fantastic with every sauce in the world,” Matt says. More special touches include X-shaped mullions on glass cabinets with natural walnut interiors, LED cabinet lighting (inside and underneath), wine-glass racks inside the cabinetry, drawers within super-deep drawers, and more. The space features white perimeter cabinets combined with a dark walnut vent hood, open shelving, and an oversized island that measures about 7.5 by 5 feet, with a 6-centimeter-thick countertop. Everything has its place.” In the details With handy features, like in-cabinet pegs for Tupperware storage, Lisa says, “It’s easy to be organized. “We made sure it was equipped with everything you need, so you don’t have to run all over the kitchen to make coffee.” Adds Lisa: “I use it every single morning.” Organized living Desk-area rebirthĪ nonfunctioning desk area that “we never used,” Matt says, was turned into a coffee bar and beverage area for parties, complete with a stylish hammered-copper sink. Breaking Down the Details of This Dream Kitchen: The Whelans worked with Authentic Kitchen & Design and other local professionals on their dream kitchen. Here, they share insider tips on designing a kitchen that suits just two, on a day-to-day basis - or a gathering of family and friends, come party time.
She knows how to choose well, and I love how it looks, even when we’re not using it.” I’m good with selections and of course would get his input.” Adds Matt, laughing: “Well, truth be told, at first I didn’t like the countertop and backsplash selections, but I love them now. “Matt is great with layouts, so I let him do his thing with size of island, scale, et cetera. “We were on the same page, as far as what we liked for the kitchen,” Lisa explains. They continue to be passionate about their build-and-design business but are now also downright passionate about their own kitchen.
The Whelans worked with Sarah Rosecrans and David Nickerson of Authentic Kitchen & Design, along with others. “She’s very good at dealing with people,” Matt says.
She does the accounting, assists with design, and manages the hiring, among other functions. Matt’s a builder, and with 35 staff members, Lisa, who has a background in design, keeps the ship on course. “Plus, you can work in here together and not feel like you’re on top of each other.”īeing in the design and build business, working together day-in and day-out, and renovating your kitchen side-by-side could be a challenge, but it wasn’t for this compatible couple who tend to complement each other. “We seem to have the house where everyone gathers, so to have the ability to entertain and have people in the heart of the home while you’re cooking, and to serve them and sit and talk with them, it’s just great,” Matt says. They also wanted a top-notch coffee and beverage center. For example, custom cabinet panels (made by Wood-Mode) integrate with their Thermador appliances to disguise the appliances and create a cohesive look. The couple wanted to take advantage of their empty-nest status, but also inject the newest of elements into the space. The goal was to readdress their lifestyle. Lisa’s tip-off that it was moving to the front burner was the Christmas gift she received from Matt in 2019: a framed rendering of the new kitchen. “We had a new kitchen on the back burner for a while, with design ideas in mind,” Matt says.