herringbone tile Archives - Village Home Stores Blog

November 16, 2017January 15, 2019

Atkinson, IL- A Kitchen Remodel Transforms This Ranch Home

We recently finished a full kitchen remodel at this ranch home in Atkinson, IL. The entire process was managed from start to finish by the Complete Project Management Program at Village Home Stores. This means that we managed the entire process from early on in the bidding and designing phases, through the final project walk-through. Take a look at this beautiful and bright new kitchen!

Of course this space didn’t start out giving out such bright and spacious feelings to guests and users. It began as an open but dated kitchen. Unique traits such as the wall ovens in a brick wall helped to give it an edge. With a new homeowner in 2017 came the opportunity to update and upgrade this space.

Don’t worry we kept that brick! We did make quite a few upgrades in layout and materials throughout the rest of the space. This kitchen has gone from a medium-toned wood to a bright painted white. That change alone transforms the look and feel of the kitchen for guests and users. One upgrade we should begin with is that this is now a kitchen that includes 4 ovens…wait what?!?! Yes FOUR OVENS!

Allow us to walk you through a tour of the new cooking center in the kitchen. A 24″ single wall oven, 24″ combination microwave/wall oven, and a slide-in gas range that includes a lower baking drawer. That offers all the convenience of each of the units for day-to-day use and lifestyle. But for those few times every year when entertaining, this KitchenAid® package offers 4 ovens all can be used at 4 different temperatures!

Many times our customers are drawn to a slide-in model of a range for the look and integration into a clean new kitchen design it allows. KitchenAid® has made such incredible changes to these sleek new models by including many features and benefits that were once reserved for their larger, more commercial style units. One new innovative feature we must mention is the shift from a “warming drawer” to the new baking drawer. Yes you can still set it on a “keep warm” function or even store your baking sheets in it when not in use. However, new changes as to how you select the setting of this drawer have opened up the opportunity to now use this space to bake or slow-cook items at a different temperature from the main oven area. All of these great features PLUS convection in the oven in a 30″ model! With all of this talk of baking temperatures and capacity we don’t want to breeze over the fact that the gas cooktop on this model is enviable as well!

5 burners that collectively range from 5,000-19,000 BTU’s. That allows you to shift from a rolling boil to a very low simmer almost immediately. Above the cooktop we have installed a wall-mount 30″ canopy hood in Stainless Steel. This hood has been fit with a re-circulation kit. We would classify this kitchen as a great example of what New Traditional is becoming in the Midwest region. A smart working layout and durable materials with clean lines help to keep a kitchen functional and beautiful. New Traditonal is also about including great textures (hello brick) and adding historic details like the schoolhouse shaped pendants used here.

We love that these “Garvey” pendants by Savoy House allow light out of the fixture and also through. Using clear glass here helps to keep the space more open and bright. The shape does lend itself to that old world look and adds style. The metal finish of the fixtures also helps reflect light and compliments the Stainless Appliances without duplicating it.

We realize we jumped right into an appliance tour without showcasing the new kitchen itself. An L-shaped kitchen design with a large single-level island fills the kitchen with storage and surfaces that are usable and accessible. The arch of the countertop at the center offers up an overhang space for the island seating.

Cambria® Quartz counters in the “Berwyn” design have been installed in a stylish “Ogee” edge profile. This decorative edge looks right at home in this space. With such a bright room and material selection, the light hits the edges of the Ogee detail and really helps to showcase the quartz color and details like that arched island top.

Quartz is a fantastic choice for a countertop investment. Once installed it is maintenance free and will look as gorgeous 15 years from now as it does today in these photos. With so many designs and edges to select from, you can almost certainly find something for any space.

The usable space of the kitchen now seems like a larger area even though we didn’t open up or remove any walls. In fact we added to the cabinetry in the new kitchen design. On the opposite end of the kitchen used to sit a closet pantry area behind bi-fold doors.

Now that pantry area has become a built-in hutch and sideboard part of the new kitchen design. Still a location for great storage, there is plenty of shelf space above plus deep base cabinets with roll-out shelves below. An open counter area now allows this area to be used for serving while entertaining. Imagine it set up as a drink station during holiday get-togethers.

As you look at the above and below images it is very clear that the best way to showcase an area like this in your project continues to be our Diode LED lighting system. Keep in mind these photos were taken during the day. Even so, the lighting is what takes all of this design and material to the next level. What good is it to invest is such beautiful products if you can’t see them?

There is a beveled subway tile throughout the new kitchen from our Rittenhouse Series. The color is “Arctic White Gloss”. It is important to note a very updated look to the classic subway tile of the past: gray grout. White subway tile with a gray grout installation is such a great look. It is a new approach to an old look and we continue to love every job we get to install with it. Another area that we added cabinetry to is an angled, shallow cabinet section designed for a TV on an open wall.

Just enough of a counter space for a flatscreen but look at all that added storage below! The cabinetry in the kitchen is from our Koch Classic line. The doorstyle is named “Bristol” on a paint-grade maple. This flat-panel door works well for may styles and tastes. This kitchen it was ordered with 5-piece drawer fronts and a decorative outside edge applied to the doors and drawers. In a bold contrast to the white painted cabinets is the beautiful new hardwood flooring beneath everything.

Random widths of 3/4″ thick maple from our Bella Cera Alessandria series is finished in the “Padua” finish. A painted white kitchen always helps to make a space seem larger and more brighter both day and night. The light catches the texture and varied widths so beautifully. See the full album of photos from this kitchen here on our Houzz page.

Bright white cabinets that reach all the way to the ceiling. We have found that sentence to be so common when we ask our clients what their dream kitchen looks like. The great news is that look can be interpreted in so many styles and budgets. Here it looks right at home paired with coved crown molding and with top sections cut for glass creating a clerestory look. Are you ready to start the conversation about your own before and after story with Village Home Stores? It begins with you simply reaching out to us. We will walk you through all of our processes to find out which project path works best for your home. Whether you want to do most of the work yourself, or need all the help we can offer. We are here to help. Call us at (309) 944-1344 or complete this online form. We can’t wait to hear what you are working on!

July 12, 2017January 15, 2019

Coal Valley, IL- Black, White, and Gold Kitchen Remodel

So what is black and white and gold all over? This perfectly on-trend kitchen remodel in Coal Valley, IL. A Transitional style space that is tasteful and right on trend! We originally met with this customer about estimating design and materials for her brand new home. Instead she ended up finding a great existing home opportunity in Coal Valley, IL. She then began working with us to remodel this home completely to now reflect her own taste and personality.

The home was in great shape and already had a very functional layout to work with. The 1990’s finishes however, were ready for an update. Medium Oak cabinetry, laminate counters, and beige paint graces every room. Here is a peek at the original kitchen that included a peninsula and white appliances. There was already a space adjacent to the kitchen for a dining area.

This customer worked closely with a team from Village Home Stores and her own contractors to take the 90’s property not only up to date… but magazine cover worthy! When you work with Village Home Stores, part of our process is to present you with full color renderings of your designs. This is our process whether you are building or remodeling. In a remodel of this size, the renderings help to visualize the shift of the entire style of a home. Seeing the vision in a rendering helps out so much! Our experts work with you to make sure the complete design and all the selections within it will work perfectly AND reflect your own tastes. In this case, the tastes of our client were sophisticated and stylish!

Two-tone kitchen design has seen some major shifts over the past few years. Originally, the most comfortable way to two-tone a kitchen design has been to add a second finish to a freestanding kitchen island. A refreshing new approach has been to install a dark base cabinet and a lighter upper cabinet in a design. We see this with darker graphite grays, blacks, and even navy blue.
Painted black and white cabinetry from our Koch Classic line in the “Savannah” door is complimented with a Cararra Marble backsplash in a herringbone pattern. A single-level island in the center of the design seemed to almost appear to be wrapped in ribbon. That ribboned look is a waterfalling quartz installation. Hanstone quartz “Tranquility” is installed as the island countertop and the perimeter is a solid white “Royale Blanc” design.

With the peninsula now removed, that left plenty of room for a large island to stretch the full length of the kitchen. A Microwave drawer by Sharp® is at the center with a large drawer below. The microwave is surrounded by wide drawer stacks and added storage and a pullout waste basket on the end near the sink.

Cascading/waterfalling your countertops could become the jaw-dropping statement-maker you are looking for! We recently installed our new front desk area to include multiple waterfall counters and all of our showroom guest love the look. See those tops here in a past blog post.

With the quartz counters “wrapping” each end of the island, that doesn’t leave a great space to include an outlet. A large island like this in a great room space demands entertaining guest. Can’t you just picture this place full for a Holiday get-together? Power is needed for small appliances or even charging electronics when working from the island seating. We concealed the outlet right on the end beneath the decorative corner detail. The matte black outlet and cover blend perfectly. The kitchen island seats four and the nearby Dining area can accommodate more formal Dining guests. A 6-light gold orb fixture by Quorum hangs above the large dining table.

Not only did this client have a very clear idea of her own personal style, she was incredibly organized with her inspirations! If you are dreaming of a new kitchen but know it will be a few years down the road, start honing your own tastes and inspirations now! Not only did this client come to us with a contagious enthusiasm, she also came with binders full of ripped out magazine photos, Pinterest boards, and even Houzz ideabooks. The open shelf wall of her design came inspired by an instagram post by Kristin on the Bliss at Home blog.

We think this corner of the kitchen design is such a beautiful way to add a space to personalize and customize the kitchen throughout the year. The Cararra Marble herringbone backsplash tile is installed from countertop to ceiling. This tile from Epic Stone adds texture and detail without being a distraction or too busy. Marble cut into small tiles provides a timeless tone-on-tone look.

The gold shelf brackets are just one of the many gold accents throughout the space. The custom shelves are an Oak wood that has been charred. Charred or blackened wood accents are beginning to become a huge home accessories trend and we love introducing this look into the kitchen. The Japanese charred wood technique is called Shou Sugi Ban or Yakisugi.

The charred wood compliments the Black painted base cabinets so well and adds another unique texture to the design. The finishes are not the only thing that saw an update. Our adorne® collection of outlets and switches from legrand® add fuction and style to the space. Take a look at this great pop-out outlet below the open shelves.

Power when needed and concealed and stylish when not in use. Plus this single outlet packs a lot of power. This single pop-out includes 4 outlets! A brushed gold kitchen faucet adds another place for that pop of gold accent. This faucet also has a pull-out spray wand.

Selecting a accent color is only half of the process of executing it well. Accenting is all about balancing scale and locations of your colors. This kitchen includes pops of gold found in the lighting, hardware, and accessories. The underside of the kitchen island pendants give a peek-a-boo approach to the accent. These pendants are named “Placuna” and come from our Uttermost line.

Due to the large size of the new kitchen window, a single light wouldn’t seem appropriate. Two 10″ wide Kichler “Maclain” pendants hang framing in the sink area. The same legrand series that makes the pop-out outlet mentioned above also offers a modular undercabinet system. This unique system of lighting, outlets, and electronic docking accessories can be customized and changed to accommodate the kitchen needs.

All of the outlet and USB boxes can be pulled and moved to other locations. There are also bluetooth speaker inserts and accessories like this tablet dock. The look is sleek and best of all?, it allows your backsplash tile to spread the full height without being disrupted or distracted by an outlet. For kitchens including a full-height stone or quartz backsplash this system can really be a fantastic solution!

The painted black cabinets from the bases of the kitchen design are repeated in the taller elements of the kitchen. This looks especially stunning because of the new appliances included from KitchenAid®. A french door counter-depth refrigerator and double wall oven have been built-in to a painted black cabinet surround. The appliances are in the innovative and stylish Black Stainless Steel finish by KitchenAid®. This finish is a true Stainless Steel and the fingerprint-resistant finish creates a matte black look that pairs perfectly with this cabinet choice.

Black Stainless appliances are accented with chrome and Stainless details. This makes them pair well with other metal finishes in a complete design. This kitchen includes a Stainless cooktop and microwave drawer. The kitchen faucet and lighting above the sink are also a brushed golden finish that helps to compliment the stainless texture of the appliances. See another great example of mixed metals including Black Stainless here in a past blog post.

Of course any dream kitchen must include storage wish-list cabinets. Slide-out shelves, post and pans drawers, and a pull-out spice rack are among some of the inserts included in the design. We love how keeping the darker finish on the base cabinets helps to keep the overall space light and airy.

Village Home Stores also offers a full line of custom blinds and shades for your home. This wide new kitchen window has been fit with our Oxford House® “Transitions” shade. While being operated the wide, horizontal stripes overlap to offer an open or closed look even when the shade is down. The shade is the “Dixie White” finish.

All of this rests on a stunning new Luxury Vinyl Tile (or L.V.T.) from our Fusion Hybrid collection. The gray woodgrain pattern is named “Dutch Pine”. This LVT is installed throughout the great room. See more detailed photos of this kitchen plus some of the other space in this remodeled home here over on our award-winning Houzz page.

When we went to visit this finished kitchen to photograph it we noticed a little dish by the kitchen sink. It has a gold-winged flying pig attached to it. The client quickly said “Oh that? My friends and I always joked I would get the dream kitchen I had been planning in my head for year when pigs fly” Well don’t look now but there is a flying pig in her kitchen because it has happened! Have you seen your dream kitchen on Instagram or Pinterest? How about the cover of a magazine while waiting in a grocery line? Even television shows and movies can provide us inspiration for our own dream spaces. Start collecting your ideas now and contact us as soon as you are ready to start the conversation about your own dream kitchen. Simply complete this online form or call us at (309) 944-1344 to schedule an appointment. We think we see a pig flying outside your current kitchen window. It’s time.

March 29, 2017April 23, 2018

Blue Grass, IA- Go Brighter For Big Results!

Many times it is the changes in finishes that can make the largest impact on a space. Combine that with a few layout adjustments and additions and you get this week’s featured kitchen remodel tour in Blue Grass, IA. A U-shaped kitchen with a peninsula is extended and made brighter and for big results! Let’s begin with how we “extended” the space and still kept the kitchen footprint the same. A section of wall between the kitchen and the casual dining area was previously used to house a china hutch area.

The available hutch area wall has become absorbed into the cabinetry footprint in the new layout. This change plus a shift from medium oak cabinets to a bright, painted look has resulted in a larger look and a bright new space. A peninsula has been installed again to divide the kitchen from the casual dining table but no upper peninsula cabinets were included.

New cabinetry from our Koch Classic line in the Legacy doorstyle and Birch wood finished with the “Oyster” paint. The Legacy door is one of our most popular styles from this cabinetry line. It is such a great detailed door without being ornate or over-the-top. The details are found in the rails and stiles of the door and a flat-panel center keeps the look from becoming heavy or overly Traditional.

Engineered Quartz counters from our Klondike line in a color called “Tundra” have been installed. The decorative “Ogee” edge profile on the tops add an extra detail as the light highlights the waterfalling polished stone edge. This color is a fantastic neutral choice for quartz counters. It combines bright whites, soft grays, and the perfect mix of charcoal and black to blend the cabinets, hardware, and even Stainless Steel appliances together perfectly. Let’s take a look around the entire new kitchen:

New Hickory hardwood from our Somerset line has been installed throughout. The light wood tone is named “Moonlight” and it is the perfect finish to be paired with the soft, warm grays included throughout the new kitchen. As mentioned before, a new hutch area has been installed in the same doorstyle as the kitchen cabinetry. Including details like an arched toespace valance and adding interior lighting with glass doors to the cabinet help achieve a furniture look. The wall cabinetry in this section also extends all the way down to the quartz tops.

Our low-voltage Diode LED lighting system is the perfect choice for an area like this. These lights can be dimmed and left on as much as desired using minimal energy. Learn more about this system in a previous post here on the blog. The perfect ambient light when entertaining and even a nightlight in the evening. A new appliance package from KitchenAid® has been included in the new kitchen. KitchenAid® offers appliances with professional-inspired styles including incredible features and function.

A 30″ wide Combination Microwave and Wall Oven is full of incredible features like Even-Heat™ True Convection in the lower oven for consistent baking temperatures and faster preheat times. The Microwave above also includes convection features allowing a secondary baking/cooking option and qualifying this model as a double oven. Next to that wall oven unit is a tall pantry cabinet fit with 5 adjustable slide-out shelves. Slide-out shelves from Koch Cabinetry are able to be adjusted in location to fit your own storage needs.

Turning the corner in the new kitchen we find the new cooktop area. Cooktops can be installed in a number of different cabinets. This kitchen includes a “reversed drawer” cabinet that moves the shallow top drawer down to the bottom of the cabinet. That leaves the top section of the cabinet available for the cooktop components and power source connections. The bottom drawer here is perfect for bakeware or pots and pans lids.

The new 30″ electric cooktop includes tap-touch controls and a very versatile 4-element layout. One of the cooking elements is a triple-ring space offering a 12″, 9″, and 6″ element all in one convenient front location. This gives you many options for cookware all in the same location. Stainless Steel trim helps compliment the cooktop with the rest of the new appliance package.

The backsplash tile is one of our favorite parts of the new kitchen! This glass 3″ x 6″ subway tile from our Florstar Interceramic line has been installed in a herringbone pattern. The tile color is named “Shimmer Storm” and the finished look is perfect with the quartz counters.
Hardware and lighting have been installed in a Pewter finish. Pewter is a wonderful finish to pair with Stainless appliances in a Traditional style kitchen. The look of these “Merrick” style handles is just as though a highlight of black accent has been applied to a Stainless finish. In place of a Stainless sink, a granite composite sink in a “Metallic Gray” color has been undermounted to the tops.

You can watch a full video tour of this remodel project on a recent episode of our show the Village Home Show. In this episode we also share how using apps like Pinterest and Houzz can help get you and your designer from Village Home Stores organized. See the full album of photos from this project here on our award-winning Houzz page. Press play below to see this kitchen plus another local kitchen transform!

What a transformation! From dark and crowded to bright and spacious! Are you ready to make the most of your own kitchen space? Village Home Stores is ready to partner with you on that project. Your first step is to reach out for that first appointment with our team. Contact us anytime during store hours at (309) 944-1344 or by completing this short online form. We will then work with you to walk you through our process. We can’t wait to hear what you are working on!