Alder Kitchen

Working with stock plan houses from the 1990s always poses layout challenges. The existing kitchen was narrow and difficult to use for groups. The client wanted to expand it, create a large island as the centerpiece, and bring in more daylight.

PROJECT STORY

A 1995 stock plan, rebuilt from the inside out

The house started as a stock plan the owner purchased in 1995 — then built as a mirror image of the original drawings. That reversal, combined with existing roof trusses, defined the boundaries of what the addition could do. Working closely with the structural engineer, the team found a straightforward way to expand the kitchen footprint without touching the roof structure above.

Inside, the design focused on light and connection. A generous skylight was centered over the sink. Cabinets were tucked into existing openings to preserve wall space. Windows along the kitchen's south run frame views of the backyard garden and trees. The opening between the kitchen and the main dining room was widened, creating a more useful flow between the two spaces.

The existing octagonal dining nook presented a specific puzzle: keep its shape or lose it. The decision was to keep it and build into it — adding cushioned built-in benches that make it work as a breakfast spot or a place to read. The kitchen expanded; the nook got quieter and more purposeful. The house held onto what made it itself.