From planning to designing to putting it all in place, Acclaim Renovations & Design can create the space of your dreams
By Patricia Nugent
As calming as the placid countryside depicted in its papered accent wall and as sophisticated as its gold and crystal chandeliers, this recent kitchen renovation conjures the perfect mix of refined elegance and family-friendly functionality.
“The Mentor home, built in 1998, was in need of a more modern and updated look,” says Bob Potocar, president of Acclaim Renovations & Design. “The Royers are empty nesters who love to entertain and have their grandchildren visit them, so we needed a concept as durable and functional as it is upscale and inviting. The existing kitchen had a layout that didn’t serve the large space well. A skinny, L-shaped island in the center and cabinets that dropped down from the ceiling over it chopped up the room and separated the line of sight from kitchen to family room.”
Bob and his design team reimagined the kitchen, getting rid of the awkwardly shaped island in favor of a larger rectangular one to anchor the room. They pulled out the soffits to visually enlarge the space, opting for taller cabinets in their place.
“The spacious nine-foot-by-four-foot island checks a lot of boxes,” says Bob. “With plenty of space for guests and grandchildren, it creates ample room with barstool seating, as well as counterspace for cooking and entertaining, and loads of storage. Now people in the family room feel like they are part of the conversation in the kitchen.”
Finishing the cabinet tops with crown molding, building a custom oven hood in the same shade of blue to match the cabinets, and encasing the Sub-Zero refrigerator in the same cabinetry makes for a clean and cohesive look.
For the flooring, they decided to restore the existing hardwood floors rather than replace them.
“They were in good shape, so we just refinished them and opted for a darker stain,” he says. “Another game-changer for this renovation was painting all the trim white, which was previously dark oak and looked dated. It took extra time, and many coats of paint, but in the end was worth it, as it opened up the sightline through the Palladian windows to the beautiful wooded backyard.”
“I feel that the layers of color add the feeling of glamour and tranquility to this new design,” says Bob. “Blues are trending now, and this design sports several different complementary shades of blue in the cabinets, backsplash, wall paint and wallpaper. The shade of the cabinetry we used is appropriately called Carolina Sky. It all blends nicely with the couple’s collection of cobalt blue oriental vases displayed on the island.”
Lighting Makes the Mood
“We upgraded the lighting across the board, adding recessed wafer lighting throughout to highlight the white cabinets and cream-and-gray quartz countertops, putting everything on dimmer switches for when the couple goes for a more subdued feeling,” he says.
The two luxurious brushed gold chandelier globes over the island add showstopping focal points to complete the look.
Details, Details, Details
“Since the sink faces toward all points of the room, we chose to make that a focal point, too,” says Bob. “The couple chose a black composite sink by Lunada Bay. It’s indestructible and won’t get dings or scratches like stainless steel.”
A brushed gold gooseneck faucet and sleek gold hardware on the cabinets pull together the gold in the lighting.
“We feel this project is a perfect example of how Acclaim can bring a homeowner’s dreams to life,” says Bob. “Our customized solutions unlock people’s imaginations and show them everything that’s possible.”
Acclaim Renovations & Design is located at 8550 East Avenue in Mentor. The design-build firm has won numerous industry awards. Call 440-974-8082 or visit AcclaimReno.com.