This wider view from the adjoining living room shows how the partition wall closed off the kitchen from the dining room on the left. It also highlights the existing skylight the homeowners wanted to keep. “They were definitely wanting to make the kitchen bigger but weren’t sure how much bigger to go and what to do with the dining room,” McCarthy says.

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After: McCarthy removed everything but the vaulted wood ceiling and skylight. “All the windows on that exterior wall were covered up and patched to make room for the new gliding window we added over the sink,” he says.

Taking down the partition and eliminating the formal dining room increased the size of the kitchen from 150 to 330 square feet. McCarthy says the couple used a previous addition to create a smaller dining and family area. Because most meals are now enjoyed at the new island, losing the formal dining room wasn’t a concern.

The expanded footprint allowed for a spacious island with seating and storage. Perimeter cabinets in light mocha contrast with the island’s earthy brown-gray finish. “When there’s an opportunity to do a two-tone look in this kind of large-sized space, it gives you the chance to do a more statement color for the island and go with a more neutral, timeless color on the perimeter,” McCarthy says.

A bronze-finish linear chandelier over the island coordinates with the island base and oil-rubbed bronze hardware. Tan performance leather swivel stools provide comfortable seating. A black stainless steel French door refrigerator now sits on the sink wall. “With that being the entry point from the garage, it’s a good place for them to unload groceries,” McCarthy says.

He used Houzz Pro to manage the project and create estimates.

Cabinetry: Concord 275 door style in Light Mocha (perimeter) and Urbane Bronze (island), Showplace Cabinetry; cabinetry hardware: Revitalize in oil-rubbed bronze, Amerock Hardware; stools: Russell, Amisco

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The island and perimeter counters are a durable 3-centimeter engineered quartz with a pale ivory background and soft gray and taupe veining. The floor is covered in 12-by-24-inch sand-colored porcelain tiles with medium taupe grout. “In my experience, the lighter your grout, the quicker it’s going to get dirty,” McCarthy says. “And being a larger-format tile, we went with a ⅓ offset brick pattern that eliminates any noticeable bowing or arching in the center of the tile.”

Walls painted a muted warm white (Sanctuary by Sherwin-Williams) with creamy white trim (White Sand by Sherwin-Williams) create a light, cozy backdrop. “The creamy white we used here doesn’t have those yellow undertones that some people don’t like,” McCarthy says.

Flooring: Regency in Sand, 12 by 24 inches, Virginia Tile Co.

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A 30-inch black stainless steel slide-in range with five burners, convection oven and a fingerprint-resistant finish gives the couple plenty of cooking flexibility for everyday meals and busy holidays. A custom oil-rubbed bronze sloped hood with a powerful fan ties in with the room’s other dark finishes. “The details on the vertical portion of the hood tie into the rivets seen on the stools at the island,” McCarthy says.

Illuminated glass-front upper cabinets lighten the range wall and showcase finer glassware and dishes. “Since they have a ton more storage than before, we felt it was a good opportunity to have that open display,” McCarthy says.

Custom hood: Sinda Copper Co.

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A coffee station to the left of the range hides equipment and supplies behind space-saving bifold doors. The backsplash consists of 2½-by-8-inch cotton white subway tiles with a handmade look, glossy glaze and black grout. “With having black accents everywhere else, it felt like a great chance to highlight an otherwise simple tile,” McCarthy says.

Above the range, a focal-point design of matte ceramic tiles with an aged bronze finish adds texture and depth. “I felt it was a nice accent to break up the space and an opportunity to add a fun or unique element,” McCarthy says.

Tile above range: Jonathan Adler Shelter Island in Aged Bronze, Lunada Bay Tile

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A 33-inch white farmhouse sink includes a basin rack and sound-dampening features. It’s paired with an oil-rubbed bronze pull-down faucet with docking technology and a three-function spray head. Three 13-inch outdoor-style sconces in the same finish brighten the area.

The 8-foot-wide custom gliding window frames backyard views. Its single sash slides horizontally for full ventilation, and the quartz sill matches the counters. “They didn’t want to go with something like a casement window that tends to get dirty during rainy weather,” McCarthy says.

Sconces: Brock in oiled bronze, Capital Lighting; sink: Turino, Kraus; faucet: Bellera in oil-rubbed bronze, Kohler; window: E-Series Gliding Window, Andersen Windows + Doors

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A fingerprint-resistant black stainless steel dishwasher sits to the right of the sink. A deep double pullout for trash and recycling is on the left. “There is also a blind corner cabinet there with a pivoting half-moon double shelf for storing additional canned goods and boxes of dry foods,” McCarthy says.

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The sink side of the island features a 15-inch beverage center, a black stainless microwave drawer with a concealed control panel and multiple drawers for kitchen essentials. “Some of those drawers have a peg system for organizing dishware,” McCarthy says. At the back, a new integrated beverage nook and upgraded pantry closet complete the space.

Microwave drawer: Sharp

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