There is always something that starts you thinking about a renovation, and often the idea to change things around stews for years before you can (or are ready to) address the issue. When I designed and built my house in 2005, I intentionally did not include much storage space in hopes of living more minimally. That didn’t work out. So, the addition began.
You’ve seen the evolution of my project from that starting point, and now the basic structure is complete and we’re ready to cram as much storage in as possible. To make my vision for the wet bar, office and under-stair storage a reality, I called Hemingway Custom Cabinetry and Architectural Millwork, who did my island countertop when I first built the house. They bring together the best of what full-service kitchen design firms and millwork shops have to offer—in owner George Krawiec’s words, they are “a true custom design-build firm.” Where millwork shops often work off of other designer’s drawings, and kitchen design companies will design your kitchen and then outsource the construction of the cabinets (and possibly charge a serious markup), Hemingway has the unique capability to work from a white piece of paper and create a truly custom kitchen that’s exactly what you want, and then fabricate it in their 12,000-square-foot workshop in Black Rock.
I knew that my collaboration with them would be great, but what I didn’t realize is how integral they would become to my entire project. When I left for work every day, I had to trust that things would get done the way I wanted them to. With Hemingway, they always did. Their follow-through is unbeatable, and when you’re spending time and money and working like mad, you are so appreciative of people who make the process easier on you. “We do a lot of hand-holding,” says Chief Operating Officer John Eigo. “We almost become the hub of communication for everybody so a lot less falls through the cracks.”
Even though my design background gave me a pretty clear vision of what I wanted the project to look like in the end, John did push me a little outside of my comfort zone, and in the end, I was happy that he did. John has strong opinions and a good, solid design sense, but knew that this was ultimately our project, and when I was uncomfortable, I always felt that I could talk to him about it. “So many designers want house to have their stamp on it, and I don’t believe in that. They tend to take too much ownership of a job, but you must marry yourself to the clients vision,” he says. And, since John has control over what happens in the shop, we had some flexibility to make changes along the way that doesn’t exist with other cabinet companies (and that flexibility can also save you money—a late-in-the-game change is going to be a costly one with other firms). Flip through the photo gallery to see how it all came together…
The Hemingway team prepares sketches for the wet bar in the studio. But what style do I choose—Modern? Transitional? Sometimes a little push out of your comfort zone is what gets you the best project in the end. I loved the idea of using super-glossy cabinets in the studio. Done. Thanks for the nudge, John.The final drawings for my new home office really cram in a ton of storage. I go through the trouble to build an addition and now I am in love with the smallest space in it. Go figure.Final drawings of all cabinets for under-the-stair storage.Final drawings of wet bar.Final drawings of new office from top view.Hemingway begins the installation of the under-stair cabinet with roll-outs, a shoe rack, and even a tray for Sadie’s dog food.The door frame is left off so the Hemingway team can squeeze the new desk and desktop into the home office space. Every inch counts, and they were able to maximize storage while maintaining the open and airy look I wanted. John dropped off a variety of wood tops with different finishes for me to consider, and I couldn’t wait to see how my vintage lucite chair will look with them so I dragged it up from the basement to get a peek. Don’t worry—the pink seat is out.A small existing closet (which was in the old mudroom) gets outfitted with super-deep roll-out file drawers and a charging station that is concealed by a drop-down door. Another big door hides the huge area on top that will hold office supplies. In the desk, there is even a drawer designed to house my specific printer.The high-gloss modern cabinets for the wet bar get installed. John designed them to be a completely symmetrical grid. The refrigerator drawers from Tony at Aitoro Appliances will slide into the open spot on the bottom left, and then get outfitted with matching panels to conceal them.Very cool, James Bond-esque lift hinges opens the doors on top. A stainless steel microwave from Aitoro Appliances will eventually get tucked into this space.The wet bar countertops go in. I chose to use the same material here as I used on my main kitchen countertops, which are fabricated from heavy stainless steel. Surface Techniques installed them seven years ago and I still love them for their durability and cool good looks.The under-stair cabinets are installed and I love the clean look so much I decide I don’t want hardware. Project manager Steve Cuff came up a solution to make my vision a reality with touch latches, and the team built a model to show me how the latches would function. Victory!Every project brings a few “uh-oh’s,” so it’s how you deal with them that matters. I did not like the difference in floor heights from the new space to the existing after the tile was put down. Hemingway saves the day (once again) by designing a series of custom-made wood transitions for me to consider. Here, John shows how the piece will fit into the space. Crisis averted.John Eigo and Tim Gotsch of Hemingway Custom Cabinetry and Architectural Millwork measure the teeny-tiny new home office. The space was carved out of the former mudroom, and with the removal of a door and addition of a window—ouala, we have an office.
