Gold Award

Dave Fox Remodeling, Columbus, Ohio
Project location: Columbus, Ohio
Project cost: $62,215

The homeowners had lived in their Columbus, Ohio, house their entire married lives and had aged with the home. The kitchen was difficult to work in and was very outdated. Many of the appliances had failed or were about to fail. Dave Fox Remodeling’s task was to design a new kitchen to accommodate the older adults, with access to appliances, storage, workstations and lighting. The couple’s extended family frequented the home so grandchildren would need to be taken into account.

Although universal design is for all ages, sizes and physical capabilities, the absence of universal design is most noticed when one develops physical challenges with daily activities, Fox says.

The kitchen lacked an area where the cook could sit while preparing meals or working with baked goods. It also made it difficult for grandchildren to visit and take part in meal preparation.

In addition, the old kitchen had low-wattage can lights that did not adequately light the area. A soffit kept cabinet height to a minimum, limiting storage. The location of the double oven cramped the use of the countertop and created a trap for clutter. It also hindered access to the family room.

Traffic flow was greatly improved by removing the wall between the kitchen and the family room. Once the wall was removed, natural light improved the overall lighting in the space and helped eliminate dark shadows. Removal of the wall also made it possible to create a built-in seating area so the couple could eat in their kitchen as well as creating an additional work surface for them and their grandchildren.

The refrigerator was on the opposite side of the kitchen, making it difficult to quickly access items when preparing meals. It also limited access to the corner wall cabinet and base cabinet. The refrigerator was relocated to the right side of the prep sink area so it could be better accessed from the main preparation and cooking areas. The existing prep sink was in a lowered countertop but not easily accessible because there was no open access under the sink to pull up a chair. The base cabinet was removed to allow the space to be used more comfortably by a seated person.

Some of the old cabinets were very difficult to access. The new cabinets were designed with rollout shelves for pantry goods as well as for pots and pans. Drawers and doors have large pulls that are easy to grip and operate. The drawers are also full extension for easy access to all contents. The bottom-mount French door refrigerator was used for improved storage and accessibility.

The flooring provides the look of tile with the resilience and safety of a laminate, while being easy to clean. It is suitable for heavy traffic, children, pets and wheelchairs if they are necessary in the future.

Specified Products

Kitchen cabinets: Marsh
Wood flooring: Faus Floors
Tile flooring: Crossville
Kitchen countertops: Granite
Refrigerator: Maytag
Dishwasher, range: Frigidaire
Lighting: Kichler

Silver
Morris Builders, Inc., Rockford, Mich.

Bronze
RI Kitchen & Bath, Warwick, R.I.