Homeowners renovate kitchen

Living areas in Lawrenceville home also got rearranged.

After more than 10 years living in their Lawrenceville home,

Michael and Margaret Fields were tired of their cramped kitchen and wasted space on their main floor.

“Our kitchen before was not really smaller, it was just set up really weird,” said Margaret. “We were finally like we have to do this kitchen. It’s awful. It’s ugly.”

The couple worked with contractor John Stephansen of Metro Mitigation to open up the room, adding taller shaker cabinets, opting for drawers and removing some of the counter to make the space more open.

White cabinets and backsplash also make the space seem airy, while Blue Flower Granite counters from Easy Stone installed by

Master Granite ground the space with streaks of darker color.

“I love it. We have so much more room,” said Margaret. “I don’t think I ever want to move. I can’t find another kitchen that I like this much. It’s still a small kitchen but it’s very functional.”

When they remodeled their kitchen, Michael and Margaret also decided to rearrange their living areas, making their old family room their new dining room, creating a reading room space and eliminating the formal living room.

“I think it’s the perfect setup with the floor plan we had, without tearing down walls,” said Margaret.

Michael and Margaret Fields bought their dining room table over 20 years ago for just $200 and refinished it themselves. They added black chairs from Havertys and the two antique lion head chairs were gifted to them by Margaret’s father and his wife. A Brandt Purple Area Rug by Mistana from Wayfair grounds the room. Adding a splash of color to the space is a teal cabinet with rabbit head drawer pulls from Anthropologie that Margaret has painted multiple times to go with the family’s changing decor.

TEXT BY SHANNON DOMINY/PHOTOS BY REYNOLDS ROGERS In March 2020 Margaret and Michael Fields worked with John Stephansen of Metro Mitigation to remodel their kitchen, which was small and dark. The new kitchen has basically the same footprint as the old one, but with a new layout and white shaker cabinets, the space is much more functional and open.

County Michael and Margaret Fields purchased their Lawrenceville home in 1998, and they’ve been perfecting it ever since. They live there now with their dogs, Bubba and Sadie. Margaret is a Gwinnett substitute teacher and a realtor with Virtual Properties Realty, and Michael is a manager at AT&T.

The owner’s suite of Michael and Margaret Fields’ home is cozy and eclectic, with a deep purple ceiling. Bedding from Wayfair and dog art from TJ Maxx add to the whimsical vibe. A set of 12 photographs hang on one wall, all of which were taken by Margaret on trips to Martha’s Vineyard.

Margaret and Michael Fields have a comfortably sized deck with adirondack chairs and a heater to make the space comfortable yearround.