A Sweet & Sunny Dream
With the help of a knowledgeable custom cabinetmaker, a couple pour their heart and soul into a kitchen renovation, with stunning results.
Homeowners Chris Nye and Poppi Multz found their picture-perfect home in a well-kept 1923 bungalow in Portland, Oregon. Chris cites only this major concern: “Both the kitchen and the bathroom were remodeled sometime in the early 1980s by a previous homeowner. Then the kitchen and bathroom clashed with the rest of the period 1920s house.” With the goal of blending the kitchen and bathroom into the style of the rest of the home, Chris and Poppi set out to find a custom cabinetmaker to make their dreams come true.
MELDING A VISION
When Chris and Poppi met with George Ramos, cabinetmaker and woodworking expert, they already had a clear design plan in mind. George says, “Chris is a jack-of-alltrades. He did a lot of the work himself, including the plumbing, electrical and HVAC.” The couple decided to keep the sink and dishwasher in the same place but move the stove to make room for a hood for better ventilation and counter space. As an avid cook and baker, Poppi opted for a large 36-inch range, and “moving the stove to the other wall created a work space on either side, which was nonexistent before,” Poppi says. George also suggested the cabinets that rest on the countertop and the extra set of doors below the uppers. These extra doors allow Poppi to simply slide her cookware into the cabinets, and maintain a clean, spacious countertop next to the sink. George adds, “Poppi cooks every meal, so she wanted an organized and thought-out kitchen design with way more counter space,” and it was delivered with his custom design.
SMALL SPACES & STORAGE
“Most people think about blowing out walls in a small space; I like when people decide not to, and stick within the footprint,” George says. While the range and hood took up most of the space on one side, Chris and Poppi were able to recess the fridge into the wall to save space. Two more spaces that needed careful consideration were the full custom banquette table and benches, and the cabinet that houses Poppi’s cookbooks. “I almost never build a banquette without storage below,” George says. Beneath their fir exterior, both benches add ample room for storage to the charming, family-friendly seating area. The time and care put into this kitchen renovation reflect Poppi’s love for cooking—and so do her many recipe books. George says, “I decided to create a dedicated space to show them off.” It’s a small, functional space that adds character and style to the home.
PERIOD-CORRECT CHARM
As a Portland local himself, George had knowledge that proved essential to the couple’s project. “Portland recently made it mandatory for companies to deconstruct and salvage wood, rather than simply demolish the material when making way for a new house,” George says. Taking into consideration Chris and Poppi’s focus on a period aesthetic, George suggested reclaimed fir as the material of choice for both the banquette and countertops. This way the banquette and countertops mirror the look of the original fir built-in in the hallway. For the countertops, “I suggested cherry with a slight stain,” George says, “as opposed to the orange-amber color of the original fir built-in.”These countertops truly glisten, adding warmth and earthy appeal to the brightly colored kitchen. The cupboard latches are another period-correct feature, gleaming against the soft white paint of the cabinets.