Kitchen & Bath Business October 2021 - 47

As their top goal, the clients wanted to expand the size of the house and
create plenty of seating in the kitchen, while adding bedrooms and a dedicated
offi ce. Beyond these functional requirements, they sought to capture
the view of the lake and make the home lighter and brighter. For the design,
Maurer took inspiration from the couple's existing artwork and the wife's
collection of blue beach glass.
GAINING SQUARE FOOTAGE
Th e biggest change to the home came from additions to multiple areas. Th e
clients had an architect draw up the original blueprints, and Maurer took it
from there, handling the project from the exterior to selecting the furniture
and adjusting the blueprints as the renovation got underway.
First, the wall of the kitchen and living area was bumped out to gain 776
square feet of space in that important gathering destination. One end of the
house got an addition for a primary suite. All bedrooms were moved to the
lake side of the house with bathroom windows facing away from the lake.
Elsewhere, another bump out made way for a home offi ce and a laundry/
mudroom off the garage.
In the main living area, a low, fl at ceiling with meaningless, chunky soffi ts
was replaced with a vaulted ceiling, helping the room feel even bigger than
it had become.
" Th at was a big change that really made a huge diff erence, " said Maurer.
Updated windows now provide views of the lake, and a deck along the back
of the house expands the living space, off ering another option for gathering.
A KITCHEN FOR FAMILY
Th e quest for entertaining drove much of the design in the kitchen, which
needed to seat up to 20 people at a time.
" Th at directive had a lot to do with how the island took its shape, " said the
designer. " It was all about trying to get a lot of seating and space to set out food. "
Although the addition increased the size of the kitchen, it was still somewhat
tight after fi tting in the massive island and dining table. It left little
wall space for cabinetry, which the clients also needed. To maximize storage,
Maurer tucked a walk-in pantry behind the kitchen - this was one of the
changes she made to the architect's blueprints.
Also based on the clients' interest in entertaining, a small bar area was
incorporated into the kitchen cabinetry beside the refrigerator, including re47
ABOVE
Replacing the ceiling
with a vaulted version opened
the space to allow for views of
the lake, while rustic beams
add to the cottage feel.
BELOW To maximize storage,
Maurer tucked a walk-in
pantry behind the kitchen.
frigerator drawers for beverages, an upper cabinet
with glass doors to display wine and cocktail glasses
and lower cabinets to hold mixers and napkins.
Th e simple style keeps the focus on the lake
outside while also honoring it. A subway tile backsplash
features a ripple texture, and shiplap makes
an appearance on the island and custom hood
surround, while the beams - reminiscent of driftwood
- were salvaged from an old barn in northern
Michigan. Th e custom dining table, built by
the wife's brother, features a local cottonwood top.
Kitchen & Bath Business October 2021

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