Lakeview Kitchen Renovation

Lakeview Kitchen Renovation: From the Floors Up

Some renovation projects are about changing the look of a room. Others involve taking several parts of a home that no longer work together and rebuilding them as one cohesive space. This Lakeview renovation was definitely the latter.

The kitchen was the centerpiece of the project, but the work extended well beyond cabinets and countertops. New hardwood flooring was integrated through the adjoining living areas, the kitchen layout was substantially rebuilt, custom cabinetry was installed throughout, and an adjacent area became a dedicated beverage and bar station.

The finished kitchen looks clean and intentional. Getting there required quite a bit more work than the finished photos reveal.

Starting Below the Floors

Before the kitchen renovation could really take shape, we had to deal with a problem that had nothing to do with cabinets, countertops or appliances.

Moisture from the crawlspace had affected the existing hardwood flooring badly enough that the flooring needed to be removed. Simply replacing the damaged wood without addressing what was happening underneath the house would have risked putting the new flooring right back into the same conditions.

Our partners at AdvantaClean of Metro New Orleans evaluated and addressed the crawlspace moisture issues before the new flooring was installed. That work was an important part of the renovation because moisture problems in a crawlspace can affect much more than the space beneath the house. Elevated moisture can migrate upward and contribute to problems with wood flooring and other building materials above.

Once the crawlspace conditions had been addressed, we could move forward with rebuilding the affected areas. Because the existing hardwood extended beyond the kitchen, removal and replacement became a much larger part of the project. New hardwood was installed through the kitchen, hallway and adjoining living spaces, restoring the continuity of the original flooring while giving the renovated areas a consistent finished appearance.

The progress photos tell this part of the story particularly well. At one point, large sections of the first floor were down to the subfloor while the new hardwood was being installed piece by piece. By the time the project was complete, there was little visual evidence of how extensive that work had been.

That is an important part of renovation work in New Orleans. Sometimes what appears to be a flooring problem is really a symptom of something happening elsewhere in the structure. Correcting the visible damage without dealing with its source is not a solution.

Building the Kitchen Around the Cabinetry

The cabinetry became one of the defining features of this renovation.

Tall cabinets provide substantial storage while the upper cabinets extend nearly to the ceiling and are finished with large crown molding. The gray finish gives the kitchen a more traditional architectural character without making the room feel dated.

That same cabinetry continues into the adjacent beverage area, where glass-front upper cabinets, base cabinetry, countertops, lighting and a wine refrigerator create a separate destination without making it look like an afterthought.

This is an important distinction in kitchen remodeling. Adding storage is relatively easy. Making new cabinetry look like it belongs to the architecture of the house requires considerably more planning.

A Range Wall That Became the Focal Point

The range wall is probably the most distinctive part of the finished kitchen.

A Wolf range sits beneath a custom-built hood surrounded by white subway tile. Instead of stopping the backsplash beneath the cabinets, the tile continues across the wall and around the windows. Stainless floating shelves flank the hood and provide useful storage without competing visually with it.

The hood itself was constructed to coordinate with the cabinetry rather than simply installing a standalone stainless vent hood. Its proportions, molding and finish make it feel like part of the kitchen.

That type of detail is easy to appreciate in a finished photograph, but the construction photos tell more of the story. The hood, tile, electrical locations, ventilation and shelving all had to come together in the correct sequence.

Traditional Details Without a Traditional Layout

Although the kitchen incorporates traditional elements such as raised-panel cabinetry, substantial molding and a farmhouse sink, the overall space feels much more contemporary in how it functions.

The long countertop runs provide generous workspace. The sink is positioned beneath a window with the dishwasher immediately adjacent. The professional-style range has usable counter space on both sides, while the floating shelves keep frequently used areas accessible without filling the wall with additional cabinetry.

Brass cabinet hardware and pendant fixtures add warmth against the gray cabinetry and stainless appliances. The natural hardwood floors bring another warmer element into what otherwise could have become a very cool color palette.

The result is a kitchen that does not depend heavily on a particular trend. That is something we consider carefully when planning a kitchen renovation. Kitchens are expensive, permanent spaces, so the goal should be something that still feels appropriate long after today's most popular finishes have changed.

The Details Continue Outside the Kitchen

One of our favorite parts of this project is the beverage and bar area.

Glass-front upper cabinets provide display storage while the lower cabinetry incorporates a wine refrigerator and additional enclosed storage. The same countertop, cabinet finish, hardware and backsplash treatment used in the kitchen carry into this space.

That continuity matters.

When a renovation extends into multiple rooms, each area should not look as though it was designed independently. Materials can change when appropriate, but there should be enough common language between the spaces to make the renovation feel deliberate.

The new hardwood flooring also helps tie the kitchen, bar area, hallway and adjoining living space together. In this case, replacing the flooring was not simply a cosmetic upgrade. Crawlspace moisture issues required removal of the existing hardwood, giving us the opportunity to restore the affected areas with one continuous floor as the renovation came back together.

Why the Finished Photos Never Tell the Whole Story

Looking at the completed kitchen, it would be easy to focus on the Wolf range, custom cabinetry, countertops, hardwood floors or custom hood. Those are certainly the elements that stand out. But some of the most important work on this project is completely hidden in the finished photos.

The flooring is a perfect example. Crawlspace moisture had affected the existing hardwood badly enough that it needed to be removed. Simply replacing the flooring without correcting the conditions beneath the house would not have solved the underlying problem. We partnered with AdvantaClean of Metro New Orleans to complete a full crawlspace encapsulation, including a vapor barrier and dedicated dehumidifier, before the new hardwood flooring was installed.

Demolition also uncovered problems left behind by previous post-Katrina renovation work. Portions of the stud walls had been improperly cut and damaged and required significant framing repairs before the kitchen could be rebuilt. We also discovered plumbing connections that had been assembled without glue. Those defects had been concealed behind finished surfaces and might have remained there for years if the kitchen had not been taken down to the framing.

None of that work is visible when looking at the completed kitchen, but it was essential to the project. Before installing custom cabinetry, high-end appliances, countertops and other finishes, we needed to know that the structure, plumbing, flooring and moisture conditions behind and beneath them had been properly addressed.

Cabinet dimensions also affected appliance locations. Appliance selections affected electrical, plumbing and ventilation requirements. Countertop dimensions depended on the final cabinetry, while the backsplash had to coordinate with outlets, windows, shelving and the custom hood. Each part of the finished kitchen depended on work that came before it.

That is why our estimating process starts with defining the project rather than immediately trying to attach a number to it. We spend time understanding what the homeowner wants to accomplish, examining existing conditions and working through the details that will affect construction. Once that scope is established, we provide the homeowner with a detailed description of the work before the final estimate.

It takes more effort at the beginning, and renovation can still uncover conditions that could not reasonably be seen beforehand. This Lakeview project is a good example of that. The goal when those surprises appear is not to cover them back up. It is to address them correctly before moving forward with the finished renovation.

A Kitchen That Now Belongs to the House

The biggest compliment we can give this renovation is that the finished kitchen does not look like something that was simply inserted into the house.

The cabinetry, hardwood flooring, millwork, bar area and architectural details work together. The kitchen has the storage and appliances expected in a modern renovation while retaining a more traditional character appropriate for the home.

That balance was the goal from the beginning.

If you are considering kitchen remodeling in Lakeview or elsewhere in the New Orleans area, Riverbend Renovation can help develop the project from the initial scope through construction and completion.