Look no further, Jack Dever, owner of Dever Design & Build, is the one
By Patricia Nugent
Jeff and Amanda C. moved into their stunning Waite Hill estate in 2019. Built in 1966, the spacious and rambling one-story ranch offers sweeping views of the lush seven acres upon which it sits. The couple loves to entertain and started feeling something needed to be done with the dark and dated, closed-off galley kitchen.
They researched local builders online with the best reviews, then spoke with other people in the area. Jack Dever’s name kept coming up. After founding Dever Design & Build 30 years ago, he’s earned a reputation for high-end custom renovations.
“Once we interviewed him, we didn’t even bother getting another bid. We knew he was the one,” says Amanda. “Jack is 100% a perfectionist, absolutely meticulous, and it comes out in everything he says and does. I’m a perfectionist, too, so that made him feel like a great fit for us. We immediately put our trust in him.”
Anatomy of a Kitchen Reno
The perfect setting for entertaining should be wide open, with a central area to gather around. Jeff and Amanda communicated to Jack their need to open up the space and connect their kitchen to their family room.
“We decided to knock down the wall separating the two rooms and build a really big island—17 feet long—large enough to seat 10 barstools,” she adds. “Functionality was also integral to the new kitchen. Jack suggested creating more workspace by moving the refrigerator to the side wall, where a little office area is now. He also designed a little pantry next to it for more storage. And putting the sink in the island means whoever is standing at the sink is looking into the family room, for a relaxed and inviting vibe of togetherness.”
Letting There be Light
Creating loads of natural light is a nice side-benefit of the renovation.
“We have 16 feet of sliding glass doors in the family room, which will now shine into the kitchen,” says Amanda. “And Jack suggested doubling the size of the existing kitchen windows that overlook our side yard.”
Going with Alpine white cabinetry to replace the existing darker maple cabinetry further lightened things up. They chose to make a statement with the massive island by going with a dark gray stain that let the wood grain show through. Jack is custom fabricating a wood range hood to go over the stovetop that will match the cabinetry.
Quartz counters are in Calacatta Laza, which is milky white with pale dove gray veining. Complementing the effect are fixtures in very trendy black matte.
For heightened drama, Jack is creating a custom arched soffit above the island in wood panels, and an arch within the island at the seating area to mimic the arch above.
The large-scale built-in refrigerator with matching cabinetry panels and a built-in microwave/convection and 5-in-1 speed cooker rounds out the leap ahead in functionality.
Concierge Level of Service
“This renovation is in line with my values and capabilities—custom work through and through,” says Jack. “It’s a tremendous undertaking, but I like to take big-picture ideas and break them down into smaller parts so we can get the most mileage out of every step of the makeover. The family has already discovered that I’m more hands-on than any other contractor they’ve worked with. I’m at the job site every day, making sure things are going along perfectly. Every development is already anticipated. So that I can accommodate this level of concierge service, I only take on a handful of jobs at a time.”
Dever Design & Build is based in Willoughby. Jack offers free consultations. Just fill in your information on the Contact page at DeverDesignAndBuild.com, or call Jack at 440-477-2338 for more information.