It didn’t take long for a recently married couple to realize the kitchen in their Greater Pittsburgh condo — the first home they shared together — wasn’t cutting it. It wasn’t as functional as it needed to be and the flow wasn’t practical when friends gathered.
"The goal was to open up the space so people could all hang out together"
To help overhaul their kitchen, the couple connected with April Spagnolo, owner of Evalia Design. “With a wall between the existing kitchen and dining room, the kitchen was cramped and congested,” Spagnolo says. “To make matters worse, the kitchen was a galley style with an eat-in area that literally cut the kitchen in half.” Spagnolo decided to remove the wall between the dining room and kitchen, and the homeowners were grateful for her expertise.“April took care of all the things we were not capable of and didn’t have any experience in,” he says. “My wife had a pretty good idea of what she was hoping the kitchen would look like, but April took us through the process one step at a time.”
Blue and brass
A blue island and antique brass lights were used to add drama to the space and create a focal point that reflected the clients’ personal style, Spagnolo says.“The colors really worked out beautifully,” the husband says. “One of our priorities, other than making sure the space was very functional and nice, was making sure everything stayed in style.” The wife chose brass hardware, which adds another pop of color on the white cabinets and blue island. “My wife has an amazing eye for these things. April has a great eye, too, and they did a great job working together,” he says. Spagnolo’s advice extended to other selections, including appliances. “Since this is their first home together as a newly married couple, we chose products that were great quality and in line with their budget,” she says. “Fabuwood, full overlay semi custom cabinetry, quartz countertops by Ultimate Granite and Stone, and Jenn-Air appliances were a few of these amazing products.” A love for cooking and baking helped drive the decisions on the appliances. The wife wanted an oven she could use to cook or bake two things at once and a Jenn-Air oven from Don’s Appliances was the best choice. In addition to finding the perfect oven, another item from Don’s has been a hit for the newlyweds.“The biggest surprise for us is how much we’re enjoying the hood,” the husband says. “It has a really clean look to it. It also has down lighting and up lighting, so it added a lighting element to the kitchen that was sort of unexpected and something that has been really exciting.”
Perfect gathering space
The result of the project was an undeniable success. “My wife is an amazing cook, and she loves it,” he says. “Having this new space is a joy for her.”And space no longer is an issue, as the couple now can fit more than 20 guests without feeling crowded.“It’s been great because everybody just gravitates toward the kitchen and that’s what we wanted,” the homeowner says. “We wanted to be able to spend time in there. What’s nice is that when we’re cooking or doing dishes, everybody can still be in there together and nobody is excluded from the group.”