2009 Kitchen & Bath Association Awards

By Rachelle Kuehne

(page 1 of 2)

Kitchens and baths—the spaces we remodel more than any other parts of our homes—are the special purview of the members of the National Kitchen & Bath Association (NKBA). Local NKBA members were recognized at the 13th annual NKBA awards banquet in September. We present this year’s award-winning remodels to give you a taste of what trained designers can do.

Photo by Karen Melvin
Gathering Space

First Place (Tie): Large and Open Kitchen

(Greater than 50 square feet of countertops and/or including additional spaces such as great rooms, breakfast nooks, and dining rooms)

Designer: Carol Sadowsky, CKD

The Woodshop of Avon, Edina

Co-designer: Bruce Kading

Beson Kading Interior Design Group, Minneapolis

With business associates, friends, and family coming and going, this large kitchen was a busy place, but lacked countertop workspace and storage. To create the functional space this Edina family desired, designer Carol Sadowsky relocated the refrigerator, microwave, and 36-inch range top, adding 3 feet of prep and storage space between the main sink and cooktop. An antique copper and brass hood acts as the beautiful focal point of the room, while a new appliance garage adds storage. The newly enlarged island boasts refrigerator drawers, prep sink, and separate prep stations for multiple cooks. Sadowsky also created a communication center to help the busy family keep track of all their activities, replacing the original table-height desk and glass uppers with file drawers, mail slots, and a magnetic chalkboard. Finishing touches include a beadboard ceiling with wood beams, luscious stained cabinetry, and honed granite countertops. The enchanting new kitchen, brimming with light-filled charm, is now the family’s favorite place to gather.

Photo by Curtis Laine
Refined Contemporary

First Place (Tie): Large and Open Kitchen

(Greater than 50 square feet of countertops and/or including additional spaces such as great rooms, breakfast nooks, and dining rooms)

Designer: Donald Gustason, CKD

North Star Kitchens, Minneapolis

The homeowners of this contemporary Excelsior home wanted a kitchen with tremendous visual impact, but they also wanted it to remain understated enough so that two of their favorite paintings would take center stage. Designer Donald Gustason accomplished both objectives by balancing a stainless steel garage at one end of the room’s only windowless wall with a narrow fridge at the other end. Additional refrigerator drawers add even more cold storage. Streamlined cabinetry in warm woods and sleek stainless details give the space contemporary verve. And Gustason delivered just the note of refined excitement the homeowners requested with “Jurassic Green” granite on the island countertop.

Photo by Koechel Peterson & Associates
Standards of Excellence

First Place: Medium Kitchen

(Between 35 and 50 square feet of countertops)

Designer: Susan Palmquist, CKD

Sawhill Custom Kitchens & Design Minneapolis

When these Mankato homeowners opted to remodel their home, the kitchen was one of their top priorities. They wanted to improve the layout and bring the details up to their high standards. Designer Susan Palmquist shifted the kitchen doorway and subbed an inclusive range for the separate cooktop and ovens. Both changes added countertop space and larger working surfaces, items high on the homeowners’ wish list. Palmquist added the intricately detailed hood over the range to balance the large see-through fireplace located directly across the room. She removed the soffits and replaced them with cabinetry that reaches to the ceiling’s substantial crown molding. The island’s walnut butcherblock top draws the eye to the center of the space and provides a striking contrast with the soft neutral tones of the perimeter cabinetry. Palmquist’s work succeeds in creating an elegantly appointed kitchen that feels like a much larger room—without actually enlarging the space.

Photo by Koechel Peterson & Associates
Universal Style

Ssecond Place: Medium Kitchen

(Between 35 square feet and 50 square feet of countertops)

Designer: Sarah Grace Michalowski, CKD

Sawhill Custom Kitchens & Design, Minneapolis

This universally accessible kitchen, built for a wheelchair-bound client, focuses on functionality and beauty. Countertops are 34-inches high, with knee space at the sink and cooktop. The island provides the perfect prep area with a secondary sink and built-in chopping block—again with plenty of knee space—as well as a curved, 30-inch-high eating area. Designer Sarah Grace Michalowski designed a stone-enhanced curved hearth area that surrounds the cooktop and provides the room’s focal point. The chocolate-glazed knotty alder cabinetry and river rock hearth reinforce the warm lake-home look the homeowner had in mind. With every appliance and storage rack within easy reach, this kitchen will serve his needs for years to come.

Photo by John Ray
Distinctive Space

First Place: Small Kitchen

(Less than 35 square feet of countertops)

Designer: Steven Ptaszek, CKD

Imagine That Kitchens + Baths, Minneapolis

Co-Designer: John Lassila

John Lassila & Associates Interior Design, Minneapolis

These homeowners had a long wish list for their new kitchen. They wanted a room that would feel more spacious (without adding square footage), a distinctive style that would complement their turn-of-the-century Tudor home, a built-in refrigerator, space for dining, and additional storage. Designer Steven Ptaszek accomplished all this and more. He relocated the range to the center of the perimeter work area allowing for more prep space and drawing attention to the custom copper hood. A built-in refrigerator cabinet replaced the oversized refrigerator that blocked the back door entry. The new granite-topped peninsula includes cubbies for the owners’ wicker baskets, two appliance garages, and two electronics charging stations. The beaded inset cabinetry is painted and glazed, giving the wood an aged and antique finish. Its warmth is reinforced by the new in-floor heating system. This kitchen’s makeover is so successful, it has become the room these homeowners never want to leave.

Comments may be edited for length, clarity, or appropriateness.

This page requires javascript. It seems that your browser does not have Javascript enabled. Please enable Javascript and press the Reload/Refresh button on your browser.