Green Gate Homes

Kitchen Renovation:

This job entailed completely gutting an existing kitchen and installing new cabinets, appliances, flooring and countertops. Below is a picture of what the kitchen looked like when we started:

The kitchen had a small, closed in feel, and the client wanted to gain more space as well allow views into the adjacent dining room. We began by stripping the room down to the original plaster and opening up the wall between the kitchen and dining room. We also created a nook for the refrigerator in the opposite wall to gain floor space in the small kitchen.

Next we overlaid the original plaster walls with a thin layer of new drywall to give the room a fresh look. Then new oak hardwood floors, new cabinets and appliances were installed.

The client decided to go with solid bamboo countertops after seeing them in the kitchen of our company's owner. We also installed a permanent island to replace the small cart that was originally in the kitchen - this new island contains shelving for books at one end and a wine refrigerator at the other.

After we opened the wall between the dining room and kitchen, the client asked us to create a breakfast bar in the dining room to tie the two rooms together. We built the breakfast bar and the custom corbels to support it out of the same bamboo countertop material.

She also opted to have us create a teak drainboard for along side the sink to provide an area to put wet pots and pans - this was something we had originally created in our company owner's kitchen. The grate is made from teak flooring scraps left over from a job we completed earlier in the year. The drainage area is tied into the sink drain then coated with a thin layer of epoxy to seal the exposed wood.

Below are some pictures of the finished kitchen along with a note from the homeowner

Go with Green Gate Homes!!! I've had to work with/endure many contractors in my time, and none of them could compare to the experience I had with Green Gate Homes. These guys made the entire experience enjoyable, educational and right on budget. My picky neighbors even commented on how considerate they were and how clean they were (they cleaned the work site EVERY day when they were finished.)

The proposed renovations of my old colonial house presented several challenges, none of which were insurmountable to these guys. They worked with me to finalize the architectural designs and even presented different ways to accomplish the design I wanted without having to spend more money to get it. They were amazingly accommodating; constantly making sure my home was a functioning environment so that I could live there while all of the construction was happening.

They also educated me on green building materials, what sustainable practices I could use in my home and how these materials and practices could lessen my impact on the environment as well as lower my costs in keeping the house running. It was amazingly refreshing to see them sort materials and refuse on site daily for recycling and reuse. And most of all, they showed up when they said they would and they met their deliverables on the dates they promised! There was never any guessing as to when they would be there or what they would be accomplishing that day.

They were very open to including me in as much of the process that I wanted to be involved in, but they could also manage the project for me (which they did, which was a BIG load off of my mind!)

Not only do I now have an amazing home to entertain in, I also have a new knowledge of sustainable practices that I share with others and with anyone who comes to my house. I would recommend working with these guys any chance you get. And my dog loved them too! (I think she actually misses them.) Thanks Green Gate Homes!!

Ali C.

You may have noticed that the pictures of our finish work are of a much higher quality than those of our other "work in progress" pictures. This is because we have them photographed by our friend Phil Krugler who is a semi-professional photographer.

Below are some pictures of these finished shots being taken.

If you'd like to contact Phil Krugler or see some of his other work, please visit his website www.photostrations.com