My clients' recently purchased home featured a kitchen from 1974 they were eager to be rid of. With nothing to save from the old space, we tore everything out, and went down to the studs to create a much more spacious and useful kitchen. The home owners are lucky enough to have a separate dining room, so an eat-in area in the kitchen was taking up valuable real estate. By losing it (along with an awkward peninsula dividing the room) and incorporating that area into the new design, we were able to add a second prep sink along with more storage to create a true gourmet kitchen. We also reclaimed an adjacent laundry room for a new, luxurious butler's pantry. The bottom cabinets sport a Whiskey Black finish while the uppers have a Cornsilk finish. This two tone approach allows the kitchen to seem more like a room to be lived in, more like an extension of the home, rather than just a "place to cook." Granite countertops of Juparana Persia and a glass tile backsplash add a traditional yet modern feel. Oversized floor tiles feature a marble mosaic insert and the new lighting plan includes recessed as well as under-cabinet lighting. All doorways were arched, slider windows were replaced with garden windows for my clients' beloved orchids, and all-new stainless steel appliances top off this extremely elegant yet casual kitchen. For dramatic before and after photos, visit: http://www.jefffioritointeriordesign.com/