After photo, showing how the kitchen entrance is much wider, allowing wheelchair access

Designing for the Future: An Aging-in-Place Kitchen Remodel in a Scenic Lake Condo

Jamie KleckaBlog, Interior Design Leave a Comment

It is possible to renovate your current home to allow you to age in place. That’s just what we did in this Muskegon, Mi condo. We are in the doom and gloom of winter here in Michigan. So I thought now is the perfect time to talk about this light and bright condo remodel.  This project was a bit out of the norm for most design firms. It’s was a full gut remodel, however the homeowner hired his own subs and/or took on much of the work himself.

Traditionally, clients work with contractors. I am fine with referring my contractors or working with theirs. That makes my firm different than most. One of the reasons that designers require clients to hire their contractors, it is so that their designs are implemented exactly how they were presented. And they have vetted them so they know their work is impeccable. But there are times when I am called after the contractor has been hired. Or my clients have one that they have used many times and love to work with.  It is untraditional though, for clients to DIY it when hiring a designer.

Enter this project. This condo has been one of my favorites. The first step was to figure out a new layout. The development was built in the early 2000’s and continued with the 1990’s angles. I’m not really sure why that was a thing back then. It takes up more space. As you can see below there were multiple angles that affected the laundry room and kitchen. But also the primary closet and living area (not shown).

Floorplan showing a condo with angled walls.
Layout Before Renovation
Proposed layout for condo renovation

What we did was remove the angles from the kitchen walls as well as the laundry and closet wall.  Starting from the entry door, that angle in the closet was wasted space. It was hard to access, and things got lost. The problem here was there was an electrical panel on the laundry side of that wall.  We had an electrician come in to verify there was enough length to the wires, if we were to straighten out the wall.  Fortunately there was. 

One that was removed, we were able to run the kitchen wall that shares with the laundry, straight. This opened up so much more space. Before, the distance between both peninsulas barely left 36” to walk through.  The goal was to design this home is for aging in place and so that it can be wheelchair accessible if that day comes. We were also able to extend the peninsula for added storage.  

Photo showing how the angled walls blocked the entrance to the kitchen
After photo, showing how the kitchen entrance is much wider, allowing wheelchair access

The design of this space was a lot of fun. Since it is located on Muskegon Lake, they wanted a coastal feel but not kitschy nautical (thank goodness because that would have been a hard no from me).  We used a semi custom cabinetry line that I gravitate toward on every project.  We selected a custom color from Sherwin Williams. They have many beautiful paint finish options, but nothing quite right for this condo.  We added so much more storage between eliminating the angles, adding a pantry, and increasing the height of the wall cabinets. They did want to keep their appliances for now and will replace when needed. Budget plays a large roll in every project and appliances can be a large portion. 

Before photo of kitchen renovation with beige tile and maple cabinets
After photo of the coastal kitchen remodel featuring custom light blue cabinetry and solid surface countertops

Instead of selecting quartz for the countertop, we went with a solid surface that looks like sand. They did not need the durability of quartz and they like the matte look of solid surface.  We did not select a backsplash until after the cabinets and counters were installed and I’m so thankful we did. I don’t know that we would have found this option that matches perfectly. They wanted  a wow factor and I think we got it!

Close up photo showing the details of the tile backsplash

Meanwhile in the laundry room, by eliminating those pesky angled walls, we were able to gain more room and add a TON of storage. This cabinetry is from the same manufacturer, but we went with one of their stock colors. The bronze hardware is such a beautiful detail giving it a hint of a nautical feel. The base cabinets and pantry are all equipped with rollout shelf for easy access. And there is still plenty of space for a wheelchair if needed. Because we had to leave to drop ceiling, we ran the cabinets as high as we could, and did not add any type of crown molding.

Before photo of the adjacent laundry room
After photo of the coastal laundry room remodel featuring dark blue cabinetry and bronze hardware.

In addition to these changes, the tile floors were removed and replaced with laminate. This eliminates trip hazards and makes cleaning easier. As you age it is much harder, if not impossible to bend over to clean. We considered other flooring options but this warm, wood look laminate checked all of the boxes. Not only is the look warm, but radiant heat was also installed underneath. And because we eliminated the angles, we were able to install a larger 36″ door on the laundry room.

If you or anyone you know would like to tackle a renovation project, but think you have to design it yourself, give us a call! We provide renovation guidance so you don’t have to go it alone.

Jamie Klecka

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *