Just weeks after Case Design and Remodeling completed Elizabeth McBride’s dream kitchen, a freak electrical fire burned it and the rest of her Reston home to the ground.
“One of my neighbors said the house went up in flames like paper,” said McBride, who was away on vacation with her family at the time.
Case kitchen designer April Underwood was horrified and called McBride to offer condolences. “She had designed a fabulous kitchen,” McBride said. “I asked her if she could replicate it.”
Blending elements of French Country with modern touches, such as chrome and stainless steel fixtures and appliances, Underwood re-created McBride’s beloved kitchen — adding in a few extras to give it timeless appeal.
The new kitchen is similar to the first remodel, but drastically different from the original — a 1990s builder-grade kitchen with stark white cabinets and speckled blue Corian countertops.
The McBrides inquired about having Case build the entire new house. “We don’t build homes,” Underwood said. “But we worked really closely with the builder they chose. We were involved every step of the way.”
Case did design four full baths, a half-bath and a basement wet bar — but the main project was re-creating the dream kitchen. “This time the sky was the limit,” McBride said about having no pre-existing impediments to the design.
Resources
Design >> Case Design Remodeling, Bethesda – casedesign.com
Sink fixtures >> Ferguson Kitchen and Bath – ferguson.com
Backsplash >> Architectural Ceramics – architecturalceramics.net
Granite >> Marblex – marblexinc.com
Opening to a two-story family room, the kitchen features cream-colored Covington-style cabinets on the walls and distressed, darker, beaded Covington cabinets as the base for a long kitchen island. Granite countertops in classic Arandis, a blend of gold and beige, bring cohesion to the two-toned cabinetry.
Underwood also chose to use beaded-board Covington cabinetry, minus the granite, to create a credenza that separates the kitchen from the family room. The same cabinets were used to make a beverage center with built-in wine rack and Sub-Zero mini-fridge in the adjoining breakfast area.
“It looks like stand-alone furniture,” McBride said of the credenza. “It’s great for putting the kids’ stuff away.”
The granite on the island is curved with a slight overhang and can seat up to eight stools. McBride thought the softer shape gave the space a casual feel and contrasted with the more formal elements of the kitchen, like the antique styled cabinets, frosted glass and wrought iron pendants. She also found the layout more functional. “I cook more than I used to,” she said.
A Wolf 36-inch cook top is positioned in a corner with a beautiful beige and cream porcelain tile backsplash covered by a hood finished in the same Covington cabinetry. It creates a hearth effect. Tucked under the island counter is a 30-inch microwave drawer oven. Skeptical at first about microwaving in a drawer, McBride said she loves the roomy feature.
Underwood positioned the Wolf double oven in an alcove opposite a hideaway pantry. The space includes a bulletin board area for family notes and photos, leaving the double-door stainless steel refrigerator clutter-free.
“I love the way it feels. It’s so user-friendly,” McBride said. “[Underwood] really tailored it to our needs and put so much into the kitchen.”
