The Sorrell’s newly renovated kitchen has become this family’s favorite gathering space. Warm natural light floods into the kitchen from French doors, glistening off of the white Italian Carrera marble-topped island and basket weave tiled backsplash. Folk art, by Mose T, hung by a pop tab, resides next to the stove. The family cat can be found weaving in and out through the dark brown bar stools lining the bar.
“We have been in this house for 15 years. The kitchen was the last thing we needed to do to finish remodeling, ” says homeowner Walker Sorrell. “Most people do the kitchen first, but since it was such a big project we kept putting it off.”
The old cramped kitchen proved to be an inadequate space for the family. The small cooking area, with dark wood cabinets and outdated fixtures, connected to the large pantry left much to be desired.
The Sorrell family spent two months in a makeshift garage kitchen while remodeling. The demolition began in October when Walker and his sons began tearing out the old kitchen piece by piece.
“Instead of hiring an architect and a contractor, everybody offered their input. Our neighbor, Diane Vakakis, suggested a deck off the kitchen with French doors and we designed the kitchen around that. We call it Diane’s deck. We all put our two cents in the pot, stirred it up, and this is what we came up with, ” Walker says.
Ray Crockett, of Crockett Remodeling, remodeled the whole house, including the kitchen. He did everything from plumbing and lighting to flooring and roofing. “A lot of people know a little bit about a lot of things, Ray knows a lot about everything, ” Walker says. The new kitchen is a more practical and useful room for the family. The island offers gathering space and the open floor plan gives much more flexibility for entertaining.
The color scheme is mostly neutral. Walls are pale gray, picking up on the veining in the marble countertop. The island is soft green. Kelly accessorizes with colorful folk art and bright cookware.
“My favorite thing about the kitchen is the pantry, ” says Walker’s wife Kelly. “Ray suggested the French doors. I was very apprehensive about it, but it makes me keep my pantry somewhat organized. If I decide I don’t want it to be visible, I can just hang curtains inside it.”
From the reclaimed hardwood floors to the marble-topped island, every piece comes together to create a warm and interesting environment to use for years to come.
RESOURCES
construction: RAY CROCKETT REMODELING 205.616.4233 hardwood floors: RIVER BOTTOM PINE 2336 F.L. Shuttlesworth Drive • Birmingham Alabama 35234 • 205.527.6848 • www.riverbottompine.com appliances: ALL SOUTH APPLIANCES 4 W Oxmoor Rd. • Birmingham Alabama • 205.942.0408 • www.allsouthappliance.net cabinet pulls: RESTORATION HARDWARE 205.967.1901 • 215 Summit Boulevard • Birmingham, AL 35243-3108 • 205.967.1901 • www.restorationhardware.com granite & cabinets: Yaffa and Abe Bernstein, Bernstein and Company 205.832.5577 • [email protected] lighting: AT HOME FURNISHING 2921 18th Street S • Homewood AL • 205.879.3510
Katie Williamson
