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Room to grow. A dramatic renovation brought light and air to the heart of Pam’s home, allowing more of her clan to gather in comfort.

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The central island is handy not just for baking, but also for snack time or crafting with her grandchildren.

 

Dream Kitchen Contest
Grand Prize Winner: Remodeled Kitchens Category

Supreme Makeover

 

By Pam Holloway Baker, Florida

Our old walls came down to make room for new memories.

This spacious, efficient kitchen is so different from the one I’d cooked in since 1972 that sometimes it’s still hard to believe it’s ours! But a quick look out any of the three windows to the cotton fields beyond always proves there’s no question about it.

Few people these days are lucky enough to live in a house as rich with family history. Not only did my husband, Smokey, and I raise our two children here, this was also Smokey’s boyhood home.

His daddy and granddaddy began farming here back in 1940. For a while, Smokey farmed with them, too (he now owns an insurance agency). His parents lived in this house until they built a home nearby.

In 1972, we moved in. We added a few cabinets and a new countertop, and called the U-shaped, 8- by 12-foot kitchen ours.

Close Quarters

For the next 35 years, I prepared thousands of meals there for family and friends. I very much enjoy cooking, and after my mother’s death, took over a tradition started by her mother—preparing a big Sunday dinner for everyone to eat after church

Pam and Smokey gather with (from left) grandchildren Chandler and Madison, daughter-in-law Amy and son Dusty, and daughter Lana, who all live nearby.

But as our family grew to include a daughter-in-law and two grandbabies, cooking in that dark, narrow space became more a chore than a pleasure. If anyone worked with me, we’d dance awkwardly around one another, often cheek to cheek.

Finally, in early 2006, we began a home makeover that included the kitchen Smokey said I really deserved. I had a picture in my mind’s eye of what I wanted, right down to appliances, color scheme and floor tile. Smokey and I drew up plans, and then he and a local contractor made them reality.

For extra space, we looked to an empty bedroom behind a long wall, For me, this was the hardest part of the remodeling, because the room had been Smokey’s as a child and later belonged to our son, Dusty.

It was tough to watch that wall—and a couple of others—come down. After all, they’d seen 35 years of my memories, and even more of Smokey’s. But as the new kitchen began to take shape, I soon grew more excited.

Storage to Spare

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Pam and husband Smokey designed the kitchen.

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They widened the entry to the dining room, allowing easy movement between there and the kitchen.

Storage space had always been a problem in our old kitchen—I was forever moving things around in hopes of finding more! But with my pantry, island and extra counter space, there’s plenty. I once had to hide beloved antiques to keep clutter at bay. Now I see them every day, behind glass cabinet doors.

Our custom-made maple cabinets and pantry are cream, with a toasted almond glaze, in bright contrast to our old medium oak ones. To maintain a country look, I painted the island a rustic blue and the walls a shade of deep red that daughter Lana convinced me was perfect. She was right! The cheery tile design behind the range picks up those colors, as do my throw rugs and window treatments.

The flooring in both kitchen and dining room is a bone-colored tile with just a bit of brown veining. I liked the look and the tile’s easy upkeep.

One of the nicest improvements is my commercial-grade range, with six burners and oversized oven. I put it to good use each week, and not just for those Sunday dinners. We also have our son and his family, our daughter and my mother-in-law over each Tuesday and Thursday night for dinner—just so we can all get together.

Lovin’ from the Oven

I consider myself a country cook—I love to make chicken and dumplings, for instance, or pork roast with rice and gravy. Now I can turn out a full dinner so much faster and easier. With all six burners going at once, I feel like a celebrity chef!

The center island gives me easy access to the sink, stove, utensils and more. Plus, it’s large enough that granddaughter Madison, 9, and grandson Chandler, 7, can perch on the stools to do craft projects or help me cook. With them in mind, we also built in a low desk for homework or coloring right next to a window.

One other feature that’s been wonderful is the dishwasher. It’s the first I’ve had—not counting myself—in 35 years!

Yes, this old house and kitchen have seen some major changes as we write a whole new chapter in family history. And if these walls could talk, I have to think they’d approve wholeheartedly.

Wondering what this kitchen looked like before? Take a look»

”Before” and “after” floor plans show how the change more than doubled Pam’s kitchen space—and meal-prep comfort as well!
Before Floor Plan	After Floor Plan
Click to see larger image of old kitchen.	Click to see larger image of new kitchen.