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simply, a toilet and a door) were separated from the kitchen with an unnecessary wall. Taking down the wall opened up direct access to the outside and added storage and living space. Wilkins even had room to work in a separate laundry room as well as a real bathroom, complete with shower. While many might jump at the chance to add a shower to a home whose only other bathroom was upstairs with the bedrooms, these homeowners initially were hesitant. "They were wondering, 'Do we really need one?'," Wilkins says. In response, the designer provided two persuasive arguments. "It's going to add to the value of the home, and your teenage daughter is going to take over the room," she told them. Unsurprisingly, she says, the owners are delighted with the decision. "The whole family is not sharing one shower now." FINISH SELECTIONS Another early concern was Wilkins' proposal to eliminate an existing window against the wall where the refrigerator now stands. The homeowners worried at the loss of natural light, but the window really only offered views of the driveway and the next-door neighbors' side wall. The widened over-sink window and full-panel glass back door make up for the lost illumination. Finish selections, on the other hand, came relatively eas- ily, with designers and clients quickly agreeing on the bright, yet neutral, palette. "We came up with these color concepts right away, and it just really felt good to everybody," Wilkins says. For the countertops, the clients selected stone with the increasingly popular "leather" finish. Unlike honed granite, the leathered approach leaves the stone's pores sealed, so stains are less of an issue. And fingerprints and smudges aren't the issue they can be with highly polished surfaces. Plus, as the designer notes, "It actually has a little texture to it — it goes with the whole Craftsman feel." Notable is the absence of ubiquitous stainless steel in the appliances, which would have made an especially large 21st century splash in this otherwise historically sensitive kitchen, given the refrigerator's substantial size. Instead, the refrigerator and dishwasher are camouflaged to match the cabinets' inset doors. As a final nod to the home's Arts & Crafts history, Wilkins made sure to incorporate a built-in bench, to make a cook's company more comfortable and provide the family's daughter a convenient homework perch. In addition to seating, the unit also adds to the room's storage capacity, with a base that incorporates two pull-out drawers. "I love to do those benches," Wilkins says, emphasizing the timeless appeal of such gathering spaces. "People come in and hang out — that's really one of our trademarks." QR 22 April 2014 QR ForResidentialPros.com PROJECTS: Kitchen Solutions Removing a wall allowed for enough extra space to install a second bathroom in the home. A separate laundry room and bathroom are located off of the kitchen area. Photos: Scott Hargis Photography QUR_20-23_KitchenSol414.indd 22 3/28/14 10:13 AM