Dining Room Ideas

KITCHEN before in photos and 3D renderings on Lopez Island, WA

The layout of the house is something that the client’s parents built in the 90’s- actually 1996 to be exact. It is right on a low bluff that is 50’ from “Top of Bank”, so nothing can be added. We are trying to work within the existing shell as much as possible, but we are punching out in one corner “Under an existing deck”, so that we are not expanding the existing envelope. The Octagon currently holds the entire kitchen, with all the wasted space from the 45 degree corners that make cabinetry a bit tricky. I suggested using that space for the dining area instead of the current location and building in a window bench where people will want to be sitting there looking out over the water in 2 directions…

This would be the view when you are coming in from the entry, looking into the dining area, with the kitchen to your left. We are Option#15, and getting really close! What do you think?

This is the site on Lopez- so surrounded by water on both sides! Just Gorgeous, or what? So grateful that I get to work on such sacred land- the Coast Salish Peoples revere this area today, as their ancestors fished here for millennia and there were probably Oyster and clam farms in this bay.

This is the kitchen now,

Existing kitchen from the entry view. The window seat is going to transform this space and the new kitchen location still has fabulous views. The interior is very “Dated’ now and the son of the original owners wants to have his own signature on the house so that it feels like it is for the new generation with kids and grandchildren all there.

Kitchen for new House on San Juan Island

This new kitchen will be open to the Dining Room.

This new kitchen will be open to the Dining Room.

This shot pans to the left more, so that you can see the relationship of the living room to kitchen.

This shot pans to the left more, so that you can see the relationship of the living room to kitchen.

This is the view if you were a bird hovering over the deck looking into the house. The Dining Room is in a Greenhouse of fetch deck, facing South, so in the winter months it will be a nice place to hang out.

This is the view if you were a bird hovering over the deck looking into the house. The Dining Room is in a Greenhouse of fetch deck, facing South, so in the winter months it will be a nice place to hang out.

Here is a view looking into the house with the roof and 2nd floor removed, so that you can se inside and the relationships of the rooms.

Here is a view looking into the house with the roof and 2nd floor removed, so that you can se inside and the relationships of the rooms.

Kitchen Breaks Out!

This kitchen was once behind a closed door.

This kitchen was once behind a closed door.

Kitchen Side.jpg

The Kitchen now opens up to the Dining Room and the rest of the Living Room

Here is the view that it was cut off from before. It really made a huge difference. The kitchen is now united with the rest of the space.

Here is the view that it was cut off from before. It really made a huge difference. The kitchen is now united with the rest of the space.

Happiness is no clutter — Nina Le Baron, AIA

White Carrera Modern Marble Dining Table designed by Charles Eames floats with clear Ghost Chairs designed by Phillip Stark

White Carrera Modern Marble Dining Table designed by Charles Eames floats with clear Ghost Chairs designed by Phillip Stark

It is easy to start to "ADD" things to one's interior that start to clutter it up. Try deleting everything once in a while to see how it looks. Sometimes, keeping just the basics in a dining room can give it a serene calmness between meals.